Epicardial Microwave Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation / 대한흉부외과학회지

Even though the Cox-Maze III procedure is the gold standard in the therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF) and its outcome is excellent, the complexity of the operation, longer cardiopulmonary bypass time and the risk of bleeding have tended to dissuade cardiac surgeons from its application. The recent data of the pathogenesis of AF and the development of alternative energy sources have facilitated the development of the modified Cox-Maze procedure rapidly. We reported that atrial fibrillation was conversed to sinus rhythm by the epicardial microwave ablation without cardiopulmonary bypass and the normal sinus rhythm was observed during 33 months of follow-up period.