title: Impact of left atrial size reduction and endocardial radiofrequency ablation on continuous atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing concomitant cardiac surgery: three-year results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aim was to evaluate the efficacy of left atrial (LA) size reduction combined with radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the treatment of continuous atrial fibrillation (AF), by comparative analysis of the outcomes of patients undergoing RF ablation with and without LA size reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 46 patients with continuous AF and cardiac disease underwent cardiac surgery and RF ablation alone (group I, n = 20) or combined with LA size reduction (group II, n = 26). Patients were followed for three years postoperatively, with evaluation of cardiac rhythm, neurological complications, LA size (by echocardiography) and atrial contractility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At three years after surgery, sinus rhythm (SR) was restored in 61.1% and 70% of patients in groups I and II, respectively. Mean LA diameter was reduced from 60 +/- 15 mm to 57 +/- 5 mm in group I, and from 69 +/- 19 mm to 55 +/- 6 mm in group II. The overall three-year survival was 90% in group I, and 88.5% in group II. Three-year freedom from stroke was 88.9% and 86.2% in groups I and II, respectively. Two patients in each group received transvenous permanent pacemaker implantation. Atrial contractility was recovered in all patients with stable SR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LA size reduction improves SR conversion rate after RF ablation for continuous AF in patients undergoing concomitant cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany. M.Scherer@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: Mirela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scherer
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Therapidis
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wittlinger
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miskovic
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moritz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004699:Endocardium / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome