Surgery as an Effective Nonpharmacological Mode of Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation Resistant to Standard Therapy

There are two surgical methods for atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment: Maze and corridoring procedures. The first one prevents AF occurrence by performing multiple atriotomies. During the second procedure a corridor between a sino‐atrial and the AV node is created together with an electrical isolation of the atria. During 1992 and 1993 seven patients, aged 27–55, mean 43‐years‐old, with recurrent, resistant to standard therapy AF were referred for surgical treatment to our department. Additional diagnoses include: concealed WPW syndrome in 1 patient, atrial septal defect (ASD) in 3 patients, coronary artery disease in 1 patient. Maze procedure was performed solely in 1 patient, in another together with 2 accessory pathways ablation, in 3 patients with ASD closure and in 1 patient with 2 bypass grafts. In one patient corridoring procedure was performed. Normal sinus rhythm was restored in every patient from 7 to 26 days after the procedure, No surgical complications were noted during the postoperative period. Mechanical function of the atria was documented with echo Doppler 2–6 weeks after the operation. No evidence for AF recurrence was noted within 3–14 months (mean 5 months) of follow‐up. The preliminary results of Maze and corridoring procedures are encouraging.