title: [Surgical thoracoscopic treatment of atrial fibrillation as an alternative to percutaneous radio frequency ablation].
abstract: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the general population is 1-2% and ablation procedures have been introduced among some symptomatic patients on order to obtain sinus rythm. A surgical thoracoscopic procedure may be offered to patients in whom percutaneous procedures were unsuccessful. This paper describes the procedure and initial results from 21 patients operated at Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. Six months post-operatively 15 of 20 patients had obtained sinus rythm. Systematic follow-up is missing in local hospitals, indicating the need for systematic reporting to a clinical database.
authors.affiliation: Kardiologisk Afdeling, Aalborg Universitetshospital, Hobrovej 18-22, 9100 Aalborg. henrik.vadmann@rn.dk.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vadmann
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grønlund
authors.forename: Jan Jesper
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Andreasen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome