Minimally invasive surgery for atrial fibrillation.

Although the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation has become technically simpler and faster with the advent of new ablative technologies, the ultimate goal of treating large numbers of patients for lone AF remains elusive. The ideal procedure would be performed epicardially, on the beating heart, with minimal risk to and impact on the patient, a rapid recovery and high cure rates. As minimal access techniques improve along with device designs and our understanding of pathophysiology, the field continues to move toward this objective. This article provides a brief overview of the progress made, questions yet unanswered and possible future directions.