Abstract

VILLAR INCLAN, Alejandro et al. Preliminary experience of the surgical treatment of auricular fibrillation with radiofrequency ablation . Rev Cubana Cir [online]. 2008, vol.47, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-2945.

INTRODUCTION. Auricular fibrillation is the most frequent preoperative cardiac arrhytmia among the patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. The medical treatment, the transthoracic or intracardiac cardioversion with shock of synchronized continuous current, the stimulation (pacemaker), the ablation with catheter and surgery, where the surgical methods, the catheter techniques for ablation and the mixed techniques are included, are among the treatment modalities. METHODS. A prospective and descriptive study of 25 patients operated on of mitral pathology with chronic auricular fibrillation was conducted. They underwent radiofrequency ablation during 60 s, with 150 W of energy and control of a temperature of 60 ºC. The procedure started around the pulmonary veins, and they were later included. All the patients were postoperatively followed up for a year and the efficiency of the procedure was evaluated in success and failure. RESULTS. The best efficacy of the treatment was related to the lowest age of the patients. The longer the time of evolution of the auricular fibrillation, the higher the rhythm of failure of the procedure. The same happened with the size of the left auricle. It was observed that a year later, 76 % of the patients were in sinusal rhythm and none of the complications presented were related to the procedure itself. CONCLUSIONS. It was concluded that the ablation with intraoperative radiofrequency during the surgical treatment of the mitral valve was an effective and safe procedure in the treatment of patients with chronic associated auricular fibrillation

Keywords : Auricular fibrillation; surgical treatment of the auricular fibrillation.

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