Atrial fibrillation treatment integrated with cardiac surgery

Atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder, can now be treated simultaneously with cardiac surgery through the collaboration of cardiac surgeons and electrophysiologists. This condition occurs when the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, quiver rapidly and irregularly instead of contracting normally.

Symptoms may include rapid or irregular pulses, fatigue, and shortness of breath. A significant risk of the condition is the formation of blood clots, particularly in the left atrial appendage, which can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke by approximately five times and the risk of heart failure by approximately three times.

Surgical treatments for the condition began in 1987 with the Cox-Maze procedure, which involves creating incisions in the atria to form a ‘maze’ of scar tissue that blocks irregular electrical signals. It is estimated that one in every five to seven patients undergoing cardiac surgery already suffers from atrial fibrillation.