ATS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Anton E. Tuinenburg
Piet W. Boonstra
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hemels, M. E.W.
Right arrow Articles by Van Gelder, I. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hemels, M. E.W.
Right arrow Articles by Van Gelder, I. C.
Related Collections
Right arrow Electrophysiology - arrhythmias

Ann Thorac Surg 2006;81:1773-1779
© 2006 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Original article: Cardiovascular

Favorable Long-Term Outcome of Maze Surgery in Patients With Lone Atrial Fibrillation

Martin E.W. Hemels, MD a , Youlan L. Gu, MS b , Anton E. Tuinenburg, MD, PhD a , Piet W. Boonstra, MD, PhD b , Ans C.P. Wiesfeld, MD, PhD a , Maarten P. van den Berg, MD, PhD a , Dirk J. Van Veldhuisen, MD, PhD a , Isabelle C. Van Gelder, MD, PhD a , *

a Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
b Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands

Accepted for publication October 10, 2005.

* Address correspondence to Dr Van Gelder, Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, Groningen 9700 RB, the Netherlands (Email: i.c.van.gelder{at}thorax.umcg.nl).

BACKGROUND: Rhythm control is indicated for patients suffering from symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF), but remains difficult to establish. We investigated the long-term outcome of Cox maze III surgery in patients with symptomatic lone AF refractory to antiarrhythmic drug therapy.

METHODS: Patients with a history of symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF refractory for at least two class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs and without structural heart disease or bradyarrhythmias were included. All patients underwent Cox maze III surgery. Complete success was defined as the absence of AF without antiarrhythmic drugs beyond 3 months after the procedure, and partial success as the absence of AF with antiarrhythmic drug use.

RESULTS: A total of 29 patients were included (27 male), with a mean age of 48 ± 6 years. At the time of surgery, 11 patients (38%) had persistent AF. After a mean follow-up of 4.8 ± 2.4 years, 79% of patients had complete success, and 2 patients (7%) were free of AF with antiarrhythmic drugs. At the end of follow-up, left ventricular fractional shortening was significantly improved (from 31% ± 10% to 39% ± 8%, p = 0.002), left atrial size was unchanged, exercise capacity was within normal ranges, and quality of life was comparable with that of healthy controls. Severe complications included reoperations for postoperative bleeding (n = 3), pericardial effusion (n = 1), and mediastinitis (n = 1). In 2 patients, a pacemaker was implanted postoperatively because of sinus node dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS: Cox maze III surgery is a highly effective therapy for drug-refractory lone AF, and therefore remains an alternative to transvenous pulmonary vein ablation.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg.Home page
S. Lonnerholm, P. Blomstrom, L. Nilsson, and C. Blomstrom-Lundqvist
A high quality of life is maintained late after Maze III surgery for atrial fibrillation
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., September 1, 2009; 36(3): 558 - 562.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
C. Lundberg, A. Albage, C. Carnlof, and G. Kenneback
Long-Term Health-Related Quality of Life After Maze Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation
Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2008; 86(6): 1878 - 1882.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg.Home page
A. A. Ghavidel, H. Javadpour, M. Shafiee, M.-B. Tabatabaie, K. Raiesi, and S. Hosseini
Cryoablation for surgical treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation combined with mitral valve surgery: a clinical observation
Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., June 1, 2008; 33(6): 1043 - 1048.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 EuropaceHome page
E. S. Tan, M. Rienstra, A. C.P. Wiesfeld, B. A. Schoonderwoerd, H. H.F. Hobbel, and I. C. Van Gelder
Long-term outcome of the atrioventricular node ablation and pacemaker implantation for symptomatic refractory atrial fibrillation
Europace, April 1, 2008; 10(4): 412 - 418.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
T. Fleck, F. Wolf, T. Bader, R. Lehner, C. Aigner, G. Stix, E. Wolner, and W. Wisser
Atrial Function After Ablation Procedure in Patients With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Using Steady-State Free Precession Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Ann. Thorac. Surg., November 1, 2007; 84(5): 1600 - 1604.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
E. Sagbas, B. Akpinar, I. Sanisoglu, B. Caynak, B. Tamtekin, K. Oral, and B. Onan
Video-Assisted Bilateral Epicardial Pulmonary Vein Isolation for the Treatment of Lone Atrial Fibrillation
Ann. Thorac. Surg., May 1, 2007; 83(5): 1724 - 1730.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS
Copyright © 2006 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.