Heart Rhythm
Volume 6, Issue 12, Supplement , Pages S1-S4, December 2009

History of surgery for atrial fibrillation

  • Zachary J. Edgerton
    • ,
  • James R. Edgerton, MD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests and correspondence: James R. Edgerton, M.D., 4708 Alliance Boulevard, Pavilion One, Suite 700, Plano, Texas 75093

Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, Cardiopulmonary Research, Science, and Technology Institute, Plano, Texas

There is a rich history of surgery for atrial fibrillation. Initial procedures were aimed at controlling the ventricular response rate. Later procedures were directed at converting atrial fibrillation to normal sinus rhythm. These culminated in the Cox Maze III procedure. While highly effective, the complexity and morbidity of the cut and sew Maze III limited its adoption.

Enabling technology has developed alternate energy sources designed to produce a transmural atrial scar without cutting and sewing. Termed the Maze IV, this lessened the morbidity of the procedure and widened the applicability.

Further advances in minimal access techniques are now being developed to allow totally thorascopic placement of all the left atrial lesions on the full, beating heart, using alternate energy sources.

Keywords: Atrial transection, Left atrial isolation, Guiraudon corridor procedure, Maze procedure

Abbreviations: AF, atrial fibrillation, RVR, rapid ventricular response

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 The Symposium was supported by an unrestricted educational grant to Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute. Zachary Edgerton has no conflict of interest. Dr. James Edgerton is a paid consultant for AtriCure. The speakers were paid by Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute.

 The Dallas Atrial Fibrillation Symposium is supported by Atricure and the Heart Hospital.

PII: S1547-5271(09)00828-5

doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2009.07.047

Heart Rhythm
Volume 6, Issue 12, Supplement , Pages S1-S4, December 2009

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