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Updated: Oct 12, 2025

Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: May 29, 2015
Surgical ablation in rheumatic heart disease-Uncharted territory
Dror B Leviner1,2, Erez Sharoni1,2
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Background:
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia with a large impact on society and on patients. Rheumatic valve disease is still prevalent in low- and medium-income countries. Performing surgical ablation during surgery for mitral valve disease has been shown to restore sinus rhythm in most patients.
Aims, Materials And Methods:
In this issue of the Journal of Cardiac Surgery, Ma et al., publish a meta-analysis of surgical ablation in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
Results:
They found no difference in short-term outcomes with a higher incidence of restoration to sinus rhythm. In mid- to long-term follow-up, there was no difference in mortality with a signal towards more permanent pacemaker implantation.
Discussion And Conclusion:
Despite some inherent limitations and some methodological flows, this meta-analysis has important insights and is valuable for surgeons taking care of patients with RHD.
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