title: Minimally invasive surgery for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been revolutionized over the past two decades through surgical innovation and improvements in endoscopic imaging, ablation technology, and surgical instrumentation. These advances have prompted the development of the less complex and less morbid Cox-Maze IV procedure, and have allowed its adaptation to a minimally invasive right mini-thoracotomy approach that can be used in stand-alone AF ablation and in patients undergoing concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve surgery. Other minimally invasive ablation techniques have been developed for stand-alone AF ablation, including video-assisted pulmonary vein isolation, extended left atrial lesion sets, and a hybrid approach. This review will discuss the tools, techniques, and outcomes of minimally invasive surgical procedures currently being practiced for AF ablation.
authors: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO.
authors: Timothy S
authors: TS
authors: Lancaster
authors: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO.
authors: Spencer J
authors: SJ
authors: Melby
authors: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO. Electronic address: damianor@wustl.edu.
authors: Ralph J
authors: RJ
authors: Damiano
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Ablation; Atrial fibrillation; Cardiac surgery; Cox-Maze procedure; Hybrid approach; Minimally invasive surgery; Pulmonary vein isolation