Surgery for cardiac arrhythmias

The field of arrhythmia surgery has changed markedly over the past several years. The increased effectiveness of catheter ablation for the treatment of supraventricular tachycardias, the increasingly common use of surgical techniques for treating atrial fibrillation, and the continued refinement of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator technology have all altered decision-making regarding the treatment of patients with medically refractory symptomatic arrhythmias. The effects that these changes have had on patient selection and therapeutic outcomes resulted in the publication of a number of articles concerning arrhythmia surgery during the past year. Several of the most important changes in the treatment of patients with supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias are reviewed.