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 cor ridor between a sino-atrial and the AV node is created together with a n electrical isolation of the atria. During 1992 and 1993 seven patien ts, aged 27-55, mean 43-years-old, with recurrent, resistant to standa rd therapy AF were referred for surgical treatment to our department. Additional diagnoses include: concealed WPW syndrome in 1 patient, atr ial septal defect (ASD) in 3 patients, coronary artery disease in 1 pa tient; Maze procedure was performed solely in 1 patient, in another to gether with 2 accessory pathways ablation, in 3 patients with ASD clos ure and in 1 patient with 2 bypass grafts. In one patient corridoring procedure was performed. Normal sinus rhythm was restored in every pat ient 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 wets noted within 3-14 months (mean 5 m onths) of follow-up. The preliminary results of Maze and corridoring p rocedures are encouraging.