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Long‐Term Follow‐Up of Corridor Operation for Lone Atrial Fibrillation:
Author(s) -
HEMEL NORBERT M.,
DEFAUW JO J.A.M.,
GUIRAUDON GÉRARD M.,
KELDER JOHANNES C.,
JESSURUN EMILE R.,
ERNST JEF M.P.G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.193
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1540-8167
pISSN - 1045-3873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8167.1997.tb00618.x
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial fibrillation , term (time) , cardiology , quantum mechanics , physics
Late Results of Surgery for AF. Introduction: Currently, surgery‐ and catheter‐mediated ablation is applied when drug refractoriness of atrial fibrillation is evident, although little is known about the long‐term incidence of new atrial arrhythmia and the preservation of sinus node function. Methods and Results: To address this issue, 30 patients with successful corridor surgery for lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and normal preoperative sinus node function were followed in a single outpatient department. Five years after surgery, the actuarial proportion of patients with recurrence of atrial fibrillation arising in the corridor was 8%± 5%, with new atrial arrhythmias consisting of atrial flutter and atrial tachycardia in the corridor 27%± 8%, and with incompetent sinus node requiring pacing therapy 13%± 6%. Right atrial transport was preserved in 69% of the patients without recurrence of atrial fibrillation and normal sinus node function. Stroke was documented in two patients. Conclusions: Corridor surgery for atrial fibrillation is a transient or palliative treatment instead of a definitive therapy for drug refractory atrial fibrillation. This observation strongly affects patient selection for this intervention and constitutes a word of caution for other, non‐pharmacologic interventions for drug refractory atrial fibrillation.