Cor Vasa 2015, 57(2):e133-e138 | DOI: 10.1016/j.crvasa.2015.02.010

Eight years experience with thoracoscopic surgical ablation of stand-alone atrial fibrillation in Cardiocenter Kralovske Vinohrady - The evolution of methods and indications and summary of the results

Petr Budera^a,*, Pavel Osmančík^b, David Talavera^a, Richard Fojt^a, Dalibor Heřman^b, Tomáš Vaněk^a, Petr Brůček^a, Zbyněk Straka^a

^a Kardiocentrum, Kardiochirurgická klinika, 3. lékařská fakulta Univerzity Karlovy a Fakultní nemocnice Královské Vinohrady, Praha, Česká republika

^b Kardiocentrum, III. interní-kardiologická klinika, 3. lékařská fakulta Univerzity Karlovy a Fakultní nemocnice Královské Vinohrady, Praha, Česká republika

Aim: Atrial fibrillation (AF) can be successfully treated with interventional methods of catheter or surgical ablation. New surgical minimally invasive methods have been created for patients with a stand-alone form of AF.

Methods and results: In this article, we describe our eight years experiences with a thoracoscopic epicardial off-pump ablation. We narrate the methodology, indications and also summarize our outcomes.

Conclusions: AF can be safely and successfully treated through a minimally invasive surgical approach. Results can be improved with usage of bipolar radiofrequency energy and close collaboration with electrophysiologists.

Keywords: Ablation; Atrial fibrillation; Cardiac surgery; MAZE; Minimally invasive

Received: January 21, 2015; Revised: February 19, 2015; Accepted: February 19, 2015; Published: April 1, 2015  Show citation