A perspective on postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Some patients develop atrial fibrillation after any type of surgery, some patients develop atrial fibrillation only after cardiac surgery, and still other patients never develop postoperative atrial fibrillation. Despite the inherent difficulty in identifying the causes of postoperative atrial fibrillation, several important observations have been made during the recent past that may play a role in treating or even preventing this common and serious postoperative problem. This communication provides a framework within which the problem of postoperative atrial fibrillation can be evaluated and treated.