Intraoperative Radiofrequency Ablation to Treat Atrial Fibrillation During Concomitant Cardiac Surgery

[Objective] To investigate the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation in the patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing open-heart surgery. [Methods] Twenty-five cases of valvular heart disease with chronic AF undergone modified maze procedure by irrigated radiofrequency ablation with concomitant cardiac surgery were analyzed retrospectively. [Results] Sinus rhythm,conjunctional rhythm, and atrial fibrillation were documented in 18, 5, and 2 patients respectively soon after operation while no death and Ⅲ° atrial-ventricular block occurred in this group. In 3~25 months follow-up, sinus rhythm(SR) were recorded in 20 (80%, 2 of them needed electric cardioconversion) , atrial flutter and AF was persistent in 2 and 3 respectively. The diameter of left atrium reduced obviously. Short ablation time and New York Heart Association Functional Class IV were risk factors of recurrence of AF in three months after operation.[Conclusions] Intraoperative radiofrequency ablation is a simple, safe, and effective technique to eliminate AF.