Intraoperative radiofrequency maze procedure for treating atrial fibrillation at the time of valve surgery or coronary artery bypass grafting.

We investigated the prevalence of sinus rhythm at long-term follow-up of 35 patients with atrial fibrillation who had an intraoperative radiofrequency maze procedure at the time of valve surgery or coronary artery bypass grafting. The 35 patients included 22 men and 13 women, mean age 71+/-10 years. Postoperatively, sinus rhythm was present in 24 of 35 patients (69%). In-hospital mortality occurred in 4 of 35 patients (11%). At 29-month follow-up, 28 of 31 in-hospital survivors (90%) were alive. Of the 28 survivors, 18 (64%) were in sinus rhythm.