OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of the video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation in comparison with catheter ablation for the treatment of persistent @entity955 ( @entity955 ). METHODS: A total of 172 @entity1 [116 male, mean age (56    12) years] with persistent @entity955 underwent ablation procedures during the last 4 years in our institute (83 @entity1 underwent video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation, group MIA and 89 @entity1 underwent circumferential @entity358 , group CA). Mean duration of preoperative @entity955 was (72    68) months. @entity1 were follow-uped for a period of 1 to 3.6 years [mean (2.2    0.8) years]. RESULTS: There was no procedure related @entity204 . During follow-up, one @entity1 died of encephalorrhagia in CA group, one @entity1 died of @entity944 in each group. At the end of the procedure, there were 67 sinus rhythm (39.0%), 4 pacing rhythm (2.3%), 29 @entity956 or @entity591 (16.9%) and 72 @entity955 (41.9%). Before discharge, sinus rhythm was recorded in 53 @entity1 (63.9%) of MIA group and in 78 @entity1 (87.6%) of CA group; @entity955 recorded in 24 @entity1 (28.9%) of MIA group and in 4 @entity1 (4.5%) of CA group (P < 0.01). At the latest follow-up, sinus rhythm was recorded in 65 @entity1 (79.3%) of MIA group and in 54 @entity1 (62.1%) of CA group; @entity955 or @entity956 was recorded in 14 @entity1 (17.1%) of MIA group and in 24 @entity1 (27.6%) of CA group (P = 0.028). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the long-term efficacy of MIA is superior to CA in terms of incidence of free of @entity955 , @entity955 recurrence and antiarrhythmic drugs (P = 0.03, P = 0.028, P = 0.017, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The video-assisted minimally invasive ablation was safe and effective, and had an optimistic long-term success rate for @entity1 with long-lasting persistent @entity955 . Thus, a randomized study comparing the long-term efficacy between the two procedures for @entity1 with long-lasting persistent @entity955 is warranted.

[Efficacy comparison between video-assisted minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation and catheter ablation in the treatment of persistent XXXX ].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity944 :: ('MESH:D003645', 'Disease') :: ['sudden death'] @entity591 :: ('MESH:D013610', 'Disease') :: ['atrial tachycardia'] @entity358 :: ('MESH:D008171', 'Disease') :: ['pulmonary vein linear ablation'] @entity956 :: ('MESH:D001282', 'Disease') :: ['atrial flutter'] @entity955 :: ('MESH:D001281', 'Disease') :: ['atrial fibrillation', 'AF'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['death']
@entity955 :: (MESH:D001281,Disease) :: ['atrial fibrillation']
