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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
Left atrial reduction and mitral valve surgery: the "functional-anatomic unit" concept
O A García-Villarreal1, H Rodríguez, A Treviño
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Centro Médico Nacional del Norte, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. abelardog@sis.net.mx
Abstract:
The desired outcome for patients undergoing mitral valve surgery includes both good function of the mitral valve, and preservation and restoration of sinus rhythm. To achieve such an outcome, we evolved the concept of the left atrium and mitral valve as a "functional anatomic unit." In this report, we describe a technique for reduction in left atrial size, isolation of the pulmonary veins, and amputation of the left atrial appendage in combination with mitral valve repair. We performed such a procedure in 4 patients, with rheumatic mitral valve disease and chronic atrial fibrillation, with restoration of good valve function and sinus rhythm at 16 to 20 months after surgery.
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