Long-term results of surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with mitral valve disease

The long-term results of the «cut and sew» Maze III procedure and its modification of radio-frequency fragmentation of atria by using Maze IV are analyzed. The patients' quality of life in the remote period is assessed. From 2004 to 2009 102 patients underwent fragmentation of atria during correction of valve diseases. Patients were divided into 2 groups: in the 1 st group the «cut and sew» technology-based Maze III procedure was performed, while in the 2nd group use was made of RF fragmentation of atria by means of a bipolar electrode. The quality of life was assessed by using a SF-36 questionnaire. The observation period in the first group was 55.69±9.70 months (from 43 to 75 months), while that in the second group amounted to 22.18±3.05 (from 17 to 29 months). The quality of life in the remote period reliably improved over all scales of the questionnaire and correlated with the average values of the healthy population. In 97.3% of patients of the 1st group and in 96.8% of patients of the 2nd group with regular rhythm, the transport function of atria was restored. Freedom from a stroke by the third year of follow-up ran to 95.1 in the 1st group and 94.9% in the 2nd one. Thus, mitral valve repair in combination with AF removal considerably improves the patients' quality of life in the remote postoperative period. The Maze procedure with use of RF energy is as efficient as classical «cut and sew» technology.