Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 28, 2026
Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Method for the Visualization and Assessment of Specific Parameters of the Pulmonary Veins
Published on: October 28, 2020
[The results of pulmonary veins isolation to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation]
P V Lednev1, Yu V Belov1, R N Komarov2
1Petrovsky Russian Research Center of Surgery.
Aim:
To compare an efficacy of primary surgical (epicardial bipolar pulmonary veins isolation) and pharmacological (amiodarone) prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation.
Material And Methods:
The study included 117 patients with coronary artery disease without previous paroxysms of atrial fibrillation who were randomized into 3 groups. The first (I) group (n=39) included patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary veins and prophylactic amiodarone administration. The second (II) group (n=38) consisted of patients who received amiodarone as a prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation. In the third (III) group (n=40) simultaneous CABG and pulmonary veins isolation were made.
Results:
The incidence of atrial fibrillation in early postoperative period was significantly lower in the 3rd group compared with control group (90% vs 69.2%, p=0.021). 1-year freedom from atrial fibrillation was 97.5% in group III vs. 84.2% in group II (p=0.004). In group I the incidence of early postoperative atrial fibrillation was 30.8% with following decrease to 17.9% in 12 months.
Conclusion:
Simultaneous preventive pulmonary veins isolation during CABG is safe and effective, significantly reduces duration of hospital-stay and incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation.
