Proarrhythmic Aspects of Atrial Fibrillation Surgery

Surgery for the treatment of atrial fibrillation may be associated with early or late postoperative atrial arrhythmias. In many cases, the arrhythmias that occur early in the postoperative course may be related to pericardial inflammation or increased catecholamine levels and tend to resolve without further therapy. In contrast, late postoperative arrhythmias often are persistent, highly symptomatic, and refractory to medical therapy. The incidence and mechanisms of these late atrial arrhythmias have not been thoroughly described.