title: Evaluation of ventral cardiac denervation as a prophylaxis against atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the efficacy of ventral cardiac denervation as a prophylaxis against post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) atrial fibrillation (AF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy consecutive patients who underwent CABG (group A) were compared to 70 consecutive subsequent patients who underwent CABG + ventral cardiac denervation (group B). Both groups were well-matched for age, gender, disease severity, LV function, Euro scores, Parsonnet scores, preoperative beta-blockers, Ca-channel blockers, digoxin, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The same cardioplegia, bypass, and operation techniques were used in all cases. Denervation before initiating bypass increased operation time by approximately 5 minutes. Heart rate and rhythm were monitored by continuous telemetry until postoperative day 5 and then 4- hourly until discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cross-clamp time (p = 0.6), bypass time (p = 0.1), number of grafts (p = 0.9), inotrope usage (p = 0.4), reexploration rate (p = 1), postoperative myocardial infarction (none in either group), blood loss (p = 0.7), and length of stay (p = 0.8) were comparable in both groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of AF; 34% in group A versus 29% in group B (p = 0.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ventral cardiac denervation failed to significantly reduce the incidence of AF following coronary revascularization in our study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, United Kingdom. mrjosephalex@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alex
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guvendik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009121:Muscle Denervation / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies