Surgical Methods and Devices for Atrial Fibrillation

As technology advances, surgical approaches for atrial fibrillation have diversified. Surgical treatments include Cox-Maze surgery, left atrial appendage occlusion, or closure using a clip. Cox-Maze surgery removes excessive cardiac electrical conduction pathways, ensures electrical signals propagate exclusively through the predetermined maze channel and restores normal heart rhythm. Left atrial appendage closure reduces the risk of long-term disability or death caused by left atrial appendage thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. These devices are constantly being refined, including bipolar radiofrequency clamps (monopolar or bipolar radiofrequency), left atrial appendage closure devices (external excision using staplers, internal ligation with biomatrix patch occlusion, external device placement with the AtriClip and Endoloop ligature). In addition to surgical interventions, surgical biomaterial materials with biocompatibility and electrical conductivity have emerged in the basic research phase of atrial fibrillation treatment. This review delineates the primary surgical techniques, emphasizing their safety and efficacy in treating atrial fibrillation. An introduction to commonly used surgical equipment is provided as a reference for the clinical management of atrial fibrillation.