title: [Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation using radiofrequency].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative atrial fibrillation ablation using radiofrequency during mitral valve procedure. This report describes the early and midterms results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 2003 and September 2005, 15 patients with mitral disease were operated. All patients were in chronic atrial fibrillation and with congestive symptoms despite full medication. The patients were analysed according to clinical criteria, electrical and echocardiographic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no hospital mortality or complications related to radiofrequency ablation. The mean follow-up period was 12.16 +/- 10.29 months. All patients left operating room in sinus rhythm, however, before hospital discharge, only nine (60%) were in regular cardiac rhythm. During follow-up, two patients presented atrial fibrillation recurrence and currently seven (46.7%) keep sinus rhythm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite low morbimortality related to the procedure, initial results in this report showed a less effectiveness of this technique when compared with other papers.
authors: Hospital de Ensino da Faculdade de Medicina do ABC e Hospital Estadual Mário Covas, Santo André, SP, Brasil. jrbreda@hotmail.com
authors: João Roberto
authors: JR
authors: Breda
authors: Ana Silvia Castaldi Ragognetti
authors: AS
authors: Breda
authors: Adriano
authors: A
authors: Meneguini
authors: Andréa Cristina Oliveira
authors: AC
authors: Freitas
authors: Adilson Casemiro
authors: AC
authors: Pires
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult