ObjectiveTo analyze the recovery rule of atrial contractility (AC) function after Maze Ⅳ procedure of valvular atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsIn our hospital from March 2016 to April 2018, 103 patients who underwent cryoablation Maze Ⅳ procedure due to mitral valve lesions associated with persistent or long-term persistent AF were enrolled. There were 42 males and 61 females, with an average age of 58.5±9.1 years. Electrocardiogram and echocardiography were followed up at discharge and 1, 3, 6, 12 months after procedure. A multivariate Cox analysis of predictive factors for AC recovery was applied.ResultsAll the 103 patients were followed up for 1 year. The recovery rate of AC increased gradually after operation. It was not until 3 months after procedure that most of the right atrial contractility (RAC) was accompanied by synchronous recovery of the corresponding left atrial contractility (LAC, Kappa coefficient≥0.40, P<0.05). However, the coexistence of sinus rhythm (SR) and bilateral AC was not consistent well until 1 year after operation (Kappa coefficient≥0.40, P<0.05). One year after procedure, the recovery rates of SR and bilateral AC were 86.4% (89/103) and 66.0% (68/103) respectively. By Cox multivariate regression analysis, longer preoperative AF duration (P=0.040), larger preoperative left atrial diameter (LAD, P=0.003), and AC deletion 3 months after surgery (P=0.037) were predictive factors for AF recurrence in the middle and advanced stages (>3 months) after Maze surgery. At the same time, longer preoperative AF duration and larger preoperative LAD were also negative predictors of middle and late recovery of LAC and bilateral AC (All P<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the best critical value of preoperative AF time and preoperative LAD for prediction of AC recovery was 37 months (sensitivity 99.6%, specificity 76.3%) and 60.5 mm (sensitivity 98.5%, specificity 78.9%), respectively.ConclusionThe recovery of AC after Maze procedure is a dynamic improvement process. Early recovery of AC is beneficial to the stable maintenance of SR in the future. Prolonged duration of AF and enlarged LAD have adverse effects on the outcome of Maze Ⅳ procedure.
ObjectiveTo analyze the early and mid-term safety and effectiveness of concomitant cryosurgical Cox-Maze Ⅳ procedure in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 68 patients (28 males and 40 females with a mean age of 38.7±9.3 years) who underwent concomitant cryosurgical Cox-Maze Ⅳ procedure in minimally invasive mitral valve and tricuspid surgery in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the Second Xiangya Hospital from August 2013 to October 2017. The heart rhythm of the patients after surgery was supervised by 24 hour holter monitoring eletrocardiogram.ResultsNo death occurred during operation and follow-up. One patient underwent reexploration for bleeding. The rate of sinus rhythm restored at the time of discharge was 95.8%. The rate of sinus rhythm restored at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 36 months after surgery was 93.5%, 91.6%, 90.3% and 89.5% respectively.ConclusionConcomitant cryosurgical Cox-Maze Ⅳ procedure in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is quite safe and effective in treatment of rheumatic mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation in the early and mid-term follow-up.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is known to be associated with stroke, dementia, heart failure, and increased mortality. For patients with drug-refractory AF, ablation therapy using surgical or catheter-based techniques is recommended. In the evolution of surgical AF treatment, the Maze Ⅲ procedure marked a significant milestone as the first surgical approach to achieve a high success rate in restoring sinus rhythm. However, due to its technical complexity and demanding requirements, researchers have extensively modified the technique using innovative approaches, leading to the development of new surgical ablation methods, including the Maze Ⅳ procedure, minimally invasive Maze Ⅳ surgery, and hybrid ablation techniques. This review focuses on these surgical treatment strategies and discusses the latest research advancements in the field.