Curing atrial fibrillation: Two decades of progress.

Since the original description of the Cox-Maze procedure two decades ago, there has been considerable refinement and expansion of surgical techniques for atrial fibrillation (AF). During this same time, there has been a parallel evolution of catheter-based ablation techniques designed to cure AF. Recent guidelines have been developed to guide patient selection for pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic options for therapy of AF. Understanding the mechanisms of AF will lead to better management strategies and improved patient outcomes.