Results of a modified left atrial maze procedure as a combined procedure.

Starting in November 1999, we performed a left atrial radiofrequency ablation procedure concomitantly to a variety of cardiac surgical procedures. By January 2001, this ablation procedure had been performed on 100 patients (age 65.7 +/- 10.4 years, 53 % male, 47 % female, left atrium 51.0 +/- 7.5 mm) suffering either from chronic or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Primary cardiac pathology was mitral valve disease in most cases (43), aortic valve disease (28) or coronary heart disease (27). After bilateral pulmonary veins isolation, an additional ablation line was directed from the left pulmonary veins to the mitral valve annulus (Thermaline probe, Boston Scientific Corporation, USA). Finally, the left atrial appendage was resected. Surgical success was evaluated in the immediate postoperative course, 3 and 6 months postoperatively (ECG and echocardiography), and every year after that. Operative time was 229.7 +/- 56.5 min, ablation time 18.8 +/- 6.9 min. Follow-up is 95 % complete at the time of writing. Mean follow-up time was 7.3 months, ranging from 3 to 23 months. Success (sinus rhythm and atrial contraction) was proven in 72 out of 90 patients (80.0 %) (75.0 % mitral valve surgery, 84.0 % other cardiac surgery). The reported results support a broad spectrum of indications for this left atrial ablation procedure.