title: Freedom from atrial fibrillation after cox maze III ablation during follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nearly 60% of patients undergoing mitral valve (MV) operations are affected by atrial fibrillation (AF). Cox Maze III ablation is one of the effective ways for restoring sinus rhythm for patients undergoing open heart surgery. The aim of present study was to evaluate efficacy of Maze III ablation procedure for restoring sinus rhythm among patients who had underwent open heart surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  During present descriptive-analytic prospective study 114 patients with chronic AF had undergone open heart surgery for their valvular or coronary artery diseases in Educational-Medical centres of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Tabriz, Iran) 2006-2012, were included in the study. For all patients Maze III ablation was done. Patients were evaluated by 12 lead electrocardiography (ECG) and 24 hours ambulatory ECG monitoring after 3-6 years (mean 4.8) of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients' rhythm before Cox Maze III surgery was chronic AF in all patients. All patients were discharged from operating room with sinus rhythm. During intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization, rhythm of 34 patients changed to AF and 80 patients had sinus rhythm. Sixteen patients had undergone electrical cardioversion for restoring sinus rhythm which was successful in 12 patients. Ninety-two patients had sinus rhythm when discharged from the hospital. After termination of follow-up, freedom from atrial fibrillation was 51%. Patients with AF during follow-up on surface ECG didn't have episodes of sinus rhythm in their ambulatory monitoring. One patient implanted cardiac pacemaker due to persistent sinus bradycardia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of this study, Cox Maze III ablation procedure is an effective and safe way for restoring sinus rhythm among patients who are candidate for open heart surgery, while no significant complication was seen among patients.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Fariborz
authors: F
authors: Akbarzadeh
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Rezayat
authors: R
authors: Parvizi
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Naser
authors: N
authors: Safaie
authors: Department of Cardiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Mohammad-Mahdi
authors: MM
authors: Karbalaei
authors: Students' Research Committee, Medical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Bita
authors: B
authors: Hazhir-Karzar
authors: Department of Cardiology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors: Babak
authors: B
authors: Bagheri
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; maze ablation; mitral valve; open heart surgery
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