title: Easy pulmonary vein isolation using epicardial cryoablation.
abstract: The maze procedure can be accomplished by several techniques with varying degrees of success. These techniques include cut-and-sew, endocardial cryoablation, and epicardial ablation using heat-producing devices. We describe our surgical modification of pulmonary vein isolation with cryoablation using an epicardial and endocardial approach. This simple and reliable technique, which does not need any special device, will assist in mitral valve surgery for patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kanto Medical Center, NTT EC, 5-9-22 Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 141-8625, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Kiyoharu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Hayao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomi
authors.forename: Atsuhiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sughimoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000601:surgery; D011667:Pulmonary Veins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome