title: Factors predicting success in cryoablation of the pulmonary veins in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to investigate the factors predicting maintenance of sinus rhythm (SR) in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing cryoablation of the pulmonary veins (PV-cryo) during cardiac surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven patients with AF undergoing PV-cryo were recruited and divided into 2 groups based on whether they were able to maintain SR at discharge. The duration of AF (AF-D), left atrial dimension (LAd), and the average of the peak left atrial appendage outflow velocities (LAA-V) before surgery were determined for both groups. Group SR consisted of 54 patients (70%), and group AF consisted of 23 patients (30%). All patients with an AF-D <or=3 years, LAd <45 mm and LAA-V >40 cm/s were in group SR and all those with an AF-D >10 years and LAd >or=65 mm were in group AF. Only 71% of patients with a LAA-V <or=20 cm/s were in group AF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Restoration of AF to SR by PV-cryo can be predicted from a knowledge of the AF-D, LAd and LAA-V.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Gunma Prefectural Cardiovascular Center, 3-12 Kameizumi-tyo, Maebashi, Gunma 371-0004, Japan. isobe.n@cvc.pref.gunma.jp
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamiyama
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ezure
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshizaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002908:Chronic Disease; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003452:Cryosurgery; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome