Permanent atrial fibrillation ablation surgery in CABG and aortic valve patients is at least as effective as in mitral valve disease.
BACKGROUND
Data on combined permanent atrial fibrillation (pAF) surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and/or aortic valve replacement (AVR) are scarce, and the mid- and long-term effects on survival and cardiac rhythm are unknown.


METHODS
In a prospective analysis 125 patients (Group I: CABG and/or AVR, n = 50; Group II: mitral valve [MV] surgery, n = 75) with pAF (> or = 6 months) underwent either concomitant monopolar (Group I: n = 20; Group II: n = 75) or bipolar (Group I: n = 30) radiofrequency (RF) ablation procedures. Group I patients had a significantly smaller left atrial (LA) size than Group II patients (LA-diameter: 47.7 +/- 4.6 vs. 58.2 +/- 6.1 mm; p < 0.01). Regular follow-up was performed from 3 to 36 months after surgery to assess survival, NYHA-class, and conversion rate to stable sinus rhythm (SR).


RESULTS
Early mortality (< 30 days) of Group I patients was 0% (Group II: 2.7%), cumulative survival at long-term follow-up was 0.95 vs. 0.82 (p = 0.31) and NYHA-class improved significantly in both groups, particularly in cases with stable SR. At follow-up 80% of Group I patients had SR (Group II: 70%). In Group I patients the bipolar approach was associated with significantly shorter ablation procedure times compared to the monopolar procedure (12.1 +/- 3.4 vs. 18.9 +/- 1.6 min; p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Concomitant pAF ablation surgery in CABG and/or AVR is safe and at least as effective as in MV surgery, presumably because severe LA enlargement is exceptionally rare in this group.
Geidel
S
S
Abteilung für Herzchirurgie, Allgemeines Krankenhaus St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany. StGeidel@aol.com
Ostermeyer
J
J
Lass
M
M
Geisler
M
M
Kotetishvili
N
N
Aslan
H
H
Boczor
S
S
Kuck
K-H
KH
D001021:Aortic Valve; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008943:Mitral Valve; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome