Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Radiofrequency （RF） modified maze procedure combined with open-heart surgery for atrial fibrillation （AF）. Methods From January 2003 to October 2004, 66 patients underwent the RF modified maze Ⅲ procedure for AF combined with open-heart surgery. The preoperative and postoperative indexes of electrocardiogram and echoeardiogram were compared through retrospective analysis and follow-up. Postoperative cardiac function and thromboembolie events were evaluated through telephone and mail. Results The time needed for RF modified maze Ⅲ was 18.61±3.56 min. There were no hospital deaths and the complications was 15.15%（10/66）. Follow-up duration was 14.25±6.47 months with 95.45%（63/66） completion. At the lastest follow-up, the rate of freedom from AF was 80.95% （51/63）and the rate of restoration to sinus rhythm was 74.60%（47/63）. No thromboembolic events was seen. 77.78%（49/63） of patients were in NYHA class Ⅰ. Significant decrease was seen in both left atrial dimension （LAD） and left ventricular dimension （LVD）（P〈0.01） more than 6 months after operation. Conclusion RF modified maze Ⅲ procedure as an adjunctive procedure is safe, time-sparing and effective in eliminating AF.
Objective To report the preliminary results of intraoperative saline-irrigated radiofrequency modified maze procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) in mitral valve diseases. Methods From May 2003 to April 2004 forty-one patients underwent intraoperative saline-irrigated modified maze procedure. The patients included 13 male and 28 female. Their age ranged from 27-65 years (46±10 years). The duration of AF varied from 5 months to 15 years (4.5±3.6 years).The left atrial diameter varied from 37-93 mm (54±11mm). There were mitral stenosis 20, mitral regurgitation 1 and mitral stenosis with regurgitation 20 cases. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was established as usual. Ablation lines were made with Cardioblate (Medtronic, 25-30 W, 180-240ml/h). Having finished right-sided maze procedure, the aorta was cross-clamped and cold crystalloid or blood cardioplegia were used for myocardial protection. Left atrial incision was performed through the interatrial groove. The ablation lines were created to encircle the orifices of the left and right pulmonary veins respectively. The ablation lines were also performed from the left encircling line to the posterior mitral valvular annulus and to the orifice of left atrial appendage respectively. A ablation line was used to connect left and right pulmonary veins circumferential line. Concomitant procedures were performed (there were double valve replacement 10 cases, mitral valve replacement 31 cases, tricuspid annuloplasty 6 cases, removing the left atrial thrombi 6 cases). Results CPB time varied from 71-160 min (105±24 min) and cross-clamping time varied from 32-106 min (62±20 min). The ablation time varied from 4-22 min (11±4 min). One patient died during hospitalization and the death was caused by acute mechanic valve obstruction. During follow-up at discharge and 3 months 35% patients (14/40) were free of AF and the others were not. But at 6 months 67% patients (10/15) were free of AF. Conclusion The intraoperative saline-irrigated radiofrequency modified maze procedure is comparatively simpler and its efficacy is satisfactory.
Atrial fibrillation （AF） is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and associated with incremental morbidity and mortality. It is implicated that multiple reentry circuits have been the dominant mechanism of AF. The classical surgical treatment for medically refractory AF is the maze procedure composed of aultiple cuts and sutures within the atrial walls to disrupt the abnormal reentry circuits. Although the maze procedure is recognized as the most effective treatment of AF, it is complicated, time consuming and much invasive. New surgical ablation therapy, applying alternate energy sources （cryothermy, radiofrequency, microwave） have evolved to simplify the maze procedure without cut and suture and demonstrated promising success rates. The optimal lesion set has not yet been defined, Modification of lesion sets and techniques that ensure continuous and transmural lesions may improve the outcomes of ablation therapy and recover rate of sinus rhythm.
Objective To investigate the preliminary experience, the evolution of surgical approach of multidisciplinary therapy for atrial fibrillation and the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 69 patients with stand-alone surgical ablation with or without transcatheter radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation in our center from January 2015 to May 2017. There were 50 males and 19 females at average age of 57.2 years. The patients were divided into three groups according to the surgical approach including a median sternotomy group (n=9), a left unilateral thoracoscopy group (n=7) and a bilateral thoracoscopy group (n=53). One (11.1%) patient, 3 (42.9%) patients and 26 (49.1%) patients received transcatheter mapping and radiofrequency ablation after surgical ablation in each group, respectively. Results The mean follow-up time in the median sternotomy group was 10.2 months. All 9 patients maintained sinus rhythm. The mean follow-up time of the left unilateral thoracoscopy group was 7.4 months. Five (71.4%) patients maintained sinus rhythm. While the mean follow-up time of the bilateral thoracoscopy group was 5.0 months. Forty-seven (88.7%) patients maintained sinus rhythm. There was no perioperative death, or death, stroke, major bleeding nor pulmonary vein stenosis during follow-up. Conclusion The classic Cox-Maze Ⅳ procedure with high success rate is still the basic operation for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation, while the thoracoscopic mini maze procedure has the advantages of minimally invasiveness, repeatibility, and can achieve similar results as Cox-Maze Ⅳ procedure when combined with transcatheter radiofrequency ablation. Multidisciplinary therapy could be the best solution for non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Objective To evaluate clinical results of concomitant mitral valve replacement （MVR） and modified maze procedure with Atricure bipolar radiofrequency for chronic atrial fibrillation （AF）. Methods Clinical data of 59 patients with mitral valve diseases and chronic AF who underwent concomitant MVR and bipolar radiofrequency ablation in Subei People’s Hospital from June 2010 to September 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 22 male and 37 female patients with their age of 29-71 （48±11） years. The AF duration was 1.2-26.0 （7.2±3.4） years. Preoperatively，there were 20 patients with New York Heart Association （NYHA） class Ⅱ，31 patients with NYHA class Ⅲ and 8 patients with NYHA class Ⅳ. There were 32 patients with moderate to severe mitral stenosis，9 patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation and 18 patients with combined mitral stenosis and regurgitation. There were 42 patients with tricuspid regurgitation. The left artial dimension was 39-98 （55.2±8.9） mm. Left atrial thrombus was found in 9 patients. Atricure bipolar radiofrequency system was used for right atrial ablation under normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass （CPB） with beating heart first，then for ablations of the left and right pulmonary vein orifices and left atrium under moderate hypothermia with heart arrest. MVR was performed after ablation procedures were completed. Amiodarone was routinely used postoperatively and patients were periodically followed up after discharge. Results There was no in-hospital death. CPB time was 65-180 （99±28）minutes，aortic cross-clamping time was 46-123 （69±17）minutes，and ablation time was 15-28 （21±4）minutes. Postoperatively，heart rhythm immediately changed to sinus rhythm （SR） in 44 patients，remained AF in 10 patients and atrial flutter in 1 patient. Temporary pacemaker was used for 4 patients with bradycardia （3 patients recovered SR and 1 patient remained AF later）. Fifty-eight patients were followed up after discharge for 6-33 months，and 1 patient was lost during follow-up. Patients’ SR rate was 86.2 % （50/58），91.4% （53/58），89.7 % （52/58），84.6 % （33/39）and 71.4 % （5/7）at discharge，3 months，6 months，1 year and 2 years after discharge respectively. There was no thrombotic event during follow-up. Conclusion Concomitant MVR and modified maze procedure with Atricure bipolar radiofrequency is a safe procedure for chronic AF with good short-term results.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified maze Ⅳ (Cox-maze Ⅳ) in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) patients.MethodsFrom June 2016 to June 2019, 30 HOCM and persistent atrial fibrillation (pAF) patients received Cox-maze Ⅳ operation with modified extended Morrow operation, including 21 males and 9 females. The average age was 51.36±10.27 years and the average weight was 72.48±11.29 kg. All patients underwent left atrial appendectomy. Recurrence of AF, improvement of symptoms, cardiac function (NYHA) were assessed during follow-up.ResultsThere was no death during the perioperative period. Postoperative left ventricular outflow tract gradient was significantly decreased compared with that before operation (P<0.01), and all systolic anterior motion (SAM) signs disappeared after operation. Thirty patients were all effectively followed up for 3-40 (16.24±8.26) months. During the follow-up period, there was no death, and the cardiac function (NYHA) of all patients recovered to gradeⅠ-Ⅱ. At the end of follow-up, twenty-four patients (80.00%) maintained sinus rhythm, and twenty-seven patients (90.00%) maintained sinus rhythm after amiodarone conversion. Univariate analysis showed that the smoking history (P=0.04), left atrial diameter≥55 mm before operation (P=0.03), left atrial diameter≥50 mm after operation (P=0.02), postoperative tricuspid regurgitation (P=0.02) were closely related to postoperative AF recurrence. The increase of left atrial diameter after operation was an independent risk factor for AF recurrence (P=0.02).ConclusionMorrow/Cox-maze Ⅳ procedure is safe and effective in treatment of patients with HOCM complicated with pAF, which helps to maintain postoperative sinus rhythm, and to improve the cardiac function. The increase of left atrial diameter after operation is an independent risk factor for AF recurrence.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is known to be associated with stroke, dementia, heart failure, and increased mortality. For patients with drug-refractory AF, ablation therapy using surgical or catheter-based techniques is recommended. In the evolution of surgical AF treatment, the Maze Ⅲ procedure marked a significant milestone as the first surgical approach to achieve a high success rate in restoring sinus rhythm. However, due to its technical complexity and demanding requirements, researchers have extensively modified the technique using innovative approaches, leading to the development of new surgical ablation methods, including the Maze Ⅳ procedure, minimally invasive Maze Ⅳ surgery, and hybrid ablation techniques. This review focuses on these surgical treatment strategies and discusses the latest research advancements in the field.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of mitral valve surgery and cryoablation in elderly patients with mitral valve disease and persistent or long-term persistent atrial fibrillation.MethodsFrom May 2014 to July 2018, 144 patients with mitral valve diseases combined with persistent or long-term persistent atrial fibrillation in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command were selected. Among them, there were 69 patients in a non-elderly group (<60 years) including 18 males and 51 females aged 52.07±5.56 years, and 75 patients in an elderly group (≥60 years) including 32 males and 43 females aged 65.23±4.29 years. A propensity-score matching (PSM) study was conducted to eliminate confounding factors. Both groups underwent mitral valve surgery and cryoablation at the same time. A 2-year follow-up was conducted after discharge from the hospital, and the perioperative and postoperative efficacy indexes were compared between the two groups.ResultsAfter PSM analysis, there were 56 patients in each group. The sinus rhythm conversion rate of the two groups at each follow-up time point was above 85%, and the cardiac function was graded asⅠorⅡ, which was significantly improved compared with that before the surgery, but there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Among the perioperative indicators of the two groups, the elderly group had more coronary artery bypass graft surgeries and longer postoperative ICU stay time compared with the non-elderly group (P<0.05), and the differences in other indicators were not statistically different (P>0.05).ConclusionThe mitral valve surgery and cryoablation in elderly patients with mitral valve diseases combined with persistent or long-term persistent atrial fibrillation are safe, and the short-term outcome is satisfactory.