title: [Video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of the video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation combined irbesartan use for the treatment of the persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2006 to December 2009, 83 patients with persistent AF having a video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation. There were 58 males, 25 females with a mean age of (57 ± 11) years. Mean duration of preoperative AF was (61 ± 65) months. Follow-up for the whole patients ranged from 1.0 to 3.6 years [mean (2.2 ± 0.8) years]. Patients were randomly divided into irbesartan group (n = 42) and without irbesartan group (n = 41) postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No patient died postoperatively. During follow-up, there was 1 patient died of unknown reason. At the end of the procedure, 38 patients (45.7%) were sinus rhythm, 4 patients (4.9%) were pacing rhythm, 5 patients (6.0%) were atrial flutter or atrial tachycardia, and 36 patients (43.4%) were AF. Before discharge, 53 patients (63.9%) were sinus rhythm, 24 patients (28.9%) were AF. At late follow-up, 65 patients (80.2%) were sinus rhythm; 14 patients (17.3%) were AF or atrial flutter. After follow-up, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the irbesartan group had fewer patients with AF (P = 0.020). The hazard ratio for AF recurrence in patients treated with irbesartan was 0.24 (95% CI: 0.087 to 0.637, P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation is safe and effective. The patients treated with irbesartan have a lower rate of recurrence of AF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China. wangjiangang7545@126.com
authors.forename: Jian-gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chun-lei
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Tian-ge
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong-qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome