Atrial fibrillation and mitral valve repair.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is present in 30-40% of patients presenting for mitral valve surgery. In patients undergoing mitral valve repair, the presence of AF may be associated with increased mortality and morbidity and this is also the case in patients in whom AF persists postoperatively. Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of AF led to techniques that include both mitral valve repair and ablation of AF. The concomitant surgical treatment of AF during mitral surgery has become a commonly performed procedure, which was shown to be safe and which may improve the outcome for patients. AF after mitral valve replacement is an accepted indication for anticoagulation, but the data supporting anticoagulation in patients after mitral valverepair who convert to sinus rhythm are sparse. This article reviews the available data regarding outcomes of mitral repair and how they are influenced by AF and its therapy.