title: Characteristics of P wave in patients with sinus rhythm after maze operation.
abstract: Maze operation could alter P wave morphology in electrocardiogram (ECG), which might prevent exact diagnosis of the cardiac rhythm of patients. However, characteristics of P wave in patients with sinus rhythm after the operation have not been elucidated systematically. Consecutive patients who underwent the modified Cox Maze operation from January to December 2007 were enrolled. The standard 12-lead ECG and echocardiography were evaluated in patients who had sinus rhythm at 6 months after the operation. The average axis of P wave was 65+/-30 degrees. The average amplitude of P wave was less than 0.1 mV in all 12-leads, with highest amplitude in V(1). The most common morphology of P wave was monophasic with positive polarity (49%), except aVR lead, which was different from those in patients with enlarged left atrium, characterized by large P-terminal force in the lead V(1). There were no significant differences in P-wave characteristics and echocardiographic parameters between patients with LA activity (30.6%) versus without LA activity (69.4%) at 6 months after the operation. In conclusion, the morphology of P wave in patients after Maze operation shows loss of typical ECG pattern of P mitrale: P wave morphology is small in amplitude, monophasic and with positive polarity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki-Bong
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyuk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Yun-Shik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome