BACKGROUND: The excellent results of the Maze III operation have demonstrated that a surgical cure of @entity955 ( @entity955 ) is possible. A simplified Maze procedure with radiofrequency (RF)ablation of the atrial tissue added to open heart surgery may help to cure @entity955 with low risk. METHODS: From May 1998 to March 2001, an RF left atrial compartmentalization concomitant to a cardiac surgical intervention was performed on 40 of 1,258 @entity1 (3.2 %). Thirty-seven @entity1 had @entity339 , two had @entity886 and one had @entity453 . All @entity1 presented with chronic refractory @entity955 for a mean time of 40.4 months ranging from 4 months to 18 years. RESULTS: Mitral valve replacement (MVR) was performed in 19 @entity1 , mitral valve repair in 12, combined aortic and mitral valve procedures were performed in 6, aortic valve replacement(AVR) in 2 and CABG in 1 @entity1 . Cardiopulmonary bypass time for the complete procedure was 138 +/- 32 minutes with an ablation time of 19 +/- 5 minutes. No complication related to RF application was noted. Sinus rhythm was present in 68% after 12.5 +/- 8.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: RF left atrial compartmentalization combined with cardiac surgical interventions proved to be easy and safe to perform. The long-term results still have to be confirmed with further regular @entity1 follow-up examinations.

Left atrial radiofrequency compartmentalization for chronic XXXX during heart surgery.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity339 :: ('MESH:D008944', 'Disease') :: ['mitral valve disease'] @entity886 :: ('MESH:C563178', 'Disease') :: ['aortic valve disease'] @entity955 :: ('MESH:D001281', 'Disease') :: ['atrial fibrillation', 'AF', 'chronic AF'] @entity453 :: ('MESH:D003324', 'Disease') :: ['coronary artery disease']
@entity955 :: (MESH:D001281,Disease) :: ['atrial fibrillation']
