| Title | Minimally invasive off-pump video-assisted endoscopic surgical pulmonary vein isolation using bipolar radiofrequency ablation - preliminary report. | | Author(s) | Suwalski P, Suwalski G, Wilimski R, Kochanowski J, Scisło P, Gaca H, Popiel Z, Sledź M, Smolarska-Świtaj J, Suwalski K | | Institution | Klinika Kardiochirurgii, Akademia Medyczna, ul. Banacha 1a, 02-097 Warszawa, tel.: +48 606 400 242, e-mail: suwalk@wp.pl. | | Source | Kardiol Pol 2007 Apr; 65(4):370-374. | | Abstract | Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia, having a strong impact on long-term stroke and heart failure prevalence and mortality. Nowadays, rapid development in the field of minimising the invasiveness of surgical ablation of AF can be observed. Aim: To report on the feasibility and early results of the first Polish experience with a novel technique of minimally invasive video-assisted beating heart bilateral surgical ablation for lone paroxysmal AF using irrigated bipolar radiofrequency technique.
Methods: Between February and December 2006, 6 patients with highly symptomatic paroxysmal AF, resistant to pharmacological treatment, underwent video-assisted beating heart bilateral pulmonary vein isolation using irrigated bipolar radiofrequency combined with vein of Marshall dissection and left atrial appendage closure. In 2 patients at least 2 unsuccessful percutaenous ablations had previously been performed.
Results: There were no complications. Ablation time was on average 88+/-12.1 seconds. At least one recurrence of AF was observed in 4 patients in the early postoperative period; in 3 of them an electrical cardioversion was performed. All patients were discharged home in stable sinus rhythm. Three patients have exceeded 3 months' observation; one has reached 6 months of observation. All are in stable sinus rhythm and the follow-up course is uneventful.
Conclusions: Minimally invasive video-assisted beating heart bilateral surgical ablation for lone paroxysmal AF using irrigated bipolar radiofrequency is effective and safe. These promising results have to be confirmed by larger studies. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 17530560 |
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