[Study of left atrial maze operation on atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valvular disease]

Left atrial (LA) maze operation was performed on atrial fibrillation (af) associated with mitral valvular disease. LA maze operation consists of only left atrial side incision out of modified maze operation. We think that af associated with mitral valvular disease is brought mainly by volume- and pressure-overload to left atrium. We applied LA maze operation in 4 cases, having 2-10 years af history. Combined mitral valvular disease were 1 mitral stenosis, 1 mitral regurgitation, and 2 mitral stenoregurgitation. 2 cases had a history of cerebral thrombosis. Postoperatively, all of these cases returned to sinus rhythm, showed shortening of left atrial diameter, indicated "a" wave. Compared with simple mitral valvular operation, LA maze operation took little longer extracorporeal circulatory time and aortic crossclamping time, but similar operating time. This study suggest that LA maze operation may become effective and simple maneuver on af associated with mitral valvular disease.