Open AccessOperations for Atrial Fibrillation
Author(s) -
John Camm A.,
Cox James L.,
Boineau John P.,
Schuessler Richard B.,
Bruce Ferguson T.,
Cain Michael E.,
Lindsay Bruce D.,
Corr Peter B.,
Kater Kathy M.,
Lappas Demetrios G.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960141010
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial fibrillation , atrial flutter , cardiology , perioperative , fibrillation , anesthesia
Atrial fibrillation is the most common of all sustained cardiac arrhythmias, yet it has no effective medical or surgical therapy. During the past decade, multipoint computerized electrophysiological mapping systems were used to map both experimental and human atrial fibrillation. On the basis of these studies, a new surgical procedure was developed for atrial fibrillation. Between September 25, 1987, and May 1, 1991, this procedure was applied in 22 patients with either paroxysmal atrial flutter (n = 2). paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (n= 11), or chronic atrial fibrillation (n = 9) of 2 to 21 years' duration. All patients were refractory to all antiarrhythmic medications and each patient failed an average of 5.2 drugs preoperatively. There were no operative deaths and all perioperative morbidity resolved. All 22 patients have been cured of atrial fibrillation with surgery alone. One late isolated episode of atrial flutter occurred in a patient who is now receiving encainide. Preservation of atrial transport function has been documented in all of the patients postoperatively and all have experienced marked clinical improvement.