[Surgical atrial fibrillation ablation therapy and postoperative monitoring]

Atrial fibrillation represents the most common atrial arrhythmia seen in clinical practice. The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation is recommended in symptomatic patients as well as in asymptomatic patients at low postoperative risk. As a "stand alone" procedure, surgical ablation therapy is indicated after failed catheter ablation therapy, which occurs increasingly due to the high number of catheter-based ablation techniques. In order to gain acceptance among patients as well as referring cardiologists, the surgical ablation procedure ought to be performed in a minimally invasive fashion and with a very high success rate. When applied in an interdisciplinary approach by cardiologists/electrophysiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, both ablative techniques have the potential to treat atrial fibrillation effectively and in the long-term. In order to document the true heart rhythm after ablation therapy, intermittent "snapshot" ECG documentation ought to be avoided. Small leadless devices that can be implanted subcutaneously enable full heart rhythm disclosure with documentation of atrial arrhythmias. The modern technique of implantable loop recorders permits individualized treatment for each patient.