[Pulmonary vein orifice cryoablation for atrial fibrillation with mitral valve disease using a specially designed cryo-probe].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of pulmonary vein orifice cryoablation (PVOC) for atrial fibrillation during mitral valve surgery.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients (12 men and 10 women) with mitral valve disease complicated with atrial fibrillation have been treated by PVOC since March 2000. During the mitral valve operations, all four pulmonary vein orifices were ablated using a ball-shaped cryo-probe. A newly designed cryo-probe was used for the last seven patients. Success was defined as atrial defibrillation within 6 months after the operation.


RESULTS
The success rate was 72.7% (16/22) of all patients, and improved from 66.6% to 85.7% (6/7) in the patients treated with the new cryo-probe. The mean left atrial dimension was smaller (50.2 +/- 4.1 vs. 61.5 +/- 9.4 mm, p < 0.01), and the duration of atrial fibrillation was also shorter (27.2 +/- 42.8 vs. 138.0 +/- 95.6 months, p < 0.01) in the successful group.


CONCLUSIONS
PVOC with mitral valve surgery is a simple and less invasive procedure, so could be an effective option for atrial fibrillation.
Furukawa
Hiroshi
H
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yokohama Rosai Hospital, Yokohama. hmfurukawa@yahoo.co.jp
Konishi
Toshio
T
Fukata
Mutsumu
M
Okura
Kazuhiro
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome