Advances in surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia. It is associated with increased risks of death and stroke; most strokes in AF patients are thought to arise from thrombi in the left atrial appendage. Surgical ablation of AF includes excision of the left atrial appendage and is an effective means of treating this arrhythmia, with the classic Maze procedure curing AF in >90% of patients and virtually eliminating the risk of late stroke. A complex but safe operation, the Maze procedure has been applied by relatively few surgeons. However, recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of AF and development of new ablation technologies enable surgeons to perform pulmonary vein ablation, create linear left atrial lesions, and remove the left atrial appendage rapidly and safely. Lesions are created under direct vision, minimizing the risk of damage to the pulmonary veins and adjacent mediastinal structures. The majority of surgical ablation procedures have been performed in conjunction with mitral valve surgery, with the combination of mitral valve repair and cure of AF enabling patients to avoid lifelong anticoagulation. Recently developed surgical instrumentation now enables thoracoscopic and keyhole approaches, facilitating extension of epicardial AF ablation and excision of the left atrial appendage to patients with isolated AF and no other indication for cardiac surgery. In addition, novel devices designed specifically for minimally invasive epicardial exclusion of the left atrial appendage will broaden the range of treatment options for patients with AF, possibly eliminating the need for anticoagulation in selected patients.