The long-term safety and efficacy of concomitant Cox maze procedures for atrial fibrillation in patients without mitral valve disease

Objective

Newly published guidelines made the highest level recommendation for surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation. However, the number of patients without a mitral valve procedure with atrial fibrillation who are treated with concomitant surgical ablation is still low (15%-25%), because surgeons are reluctant to perform procedures in patients who would not otherwise require left atriotomy. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of concomitant Cox maze with and without mitral valve procedures.

Survival and sinus rhythm maintenance after modified Cox/maze procedure and mitral valve operation in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVE: Sinus rhythm gained after the Cox/maze procedure concomitant with mitral valve operation has demonstrated long-term attrition during the follow-up, no information exists on whether the type of mitral valve operation--(repair vs. replacement)--affects this sinus rhythm maintenance rate. We retrospectively studied patients undergoing concomitant mitral valve operation and Cox/maze procedure to answer this question. METHODS: Between April 1993 and August 1995, 87 consecutive patients--35 men and 52 women (mean age: 59.3 years)--with chronic atrial fibrillation and mitral valve disease underwent the modified Cox/maze procedure and concomitant mitral valve operation, with 56 having mitral valve repair (repair group) and 31 mitral valve replacement (replacement group). Patients were followed up and changes in rhythm studied retrospectively. RESULTS: Follow-up for a mean 51.3 +/- 11.6 months was completed in 82 of 83 long-term survivors (99%). Repair group surgery survival was 98.1 +/- 1.9% at 1 year and 94.2 +/- 3.2% at 5 based on the Kaplan-Meier method. Replacement group surgery survival was 85.7 +/- 5.9% at 1 year and 82.9 +/- 6.4% at 5. Probability in sinus rhythm maintenance for the repair group at 1 year was 88.6 +/- 5.4% and at 5 years was 67.6 +/- 9.1%. Probability in sinus rhythm maintenance for the replacement group at 1 year was 95.7 +/- 4.3% and at 5 years was 65.0 +/- 11.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Medium-term results after the Cox/maze III procedure concomitant with mitral valve operation are good. The attrition of sinus rhythm maintenance appears similar by the completion of 5-year follow-up.     

A modified maze procedure performed only on the left atrium for chronic atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease: Report of a case

We describe herein the successful treatment of a patient with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation, achieved by performing a modified maze procedure on the left atrium alone. The patient was a 51-year-old man who had suffered from intractable AF for 17 years, causing multiple cerebral emboli and palpitations. He had undergone open mitral commissurotomy and balloon commissurotomy 15 and 7 years ago, respectively. On admission, an echocardiogram revealed mitral valve restenosis and thrombosis in the left atrial appendage. Prosthetic valvular replacement was performed following isolation of all pulmonary veins with cryoablation to the posterior wall of the left atrium and excision of the left atrial appendage. Postoperatively, the AF disappeared and echocardiogram demonstrated a left atrial kick in the mitral valvular inflow without any evidence of thrombosis in the left atrium. Thus, we believe that our modified left side only maze procedure is a simple and efficient method for the treatment of chronic AF with mitral valve disease.     

Impact of Cox maze procedure on outcome in patients with atrial fibrillation and mitral valve disease

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether the Cox maze procedure provides additional benefit to patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing mitral valve operations. METHODS: Between May 1992 and August 2000, we performed 258 Cox maze procedures with mitral valve replacement (n = 147) or mitral valve repair (n = 111). We compared the outcomes of these patients with those of 61 control patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation who underwent mitral valve replacement alone during the same interval. The three cohorts were similar in age, sex, and proportion of patients in preoperative New York Heart Association functional class 3 or 4. RESULTS: Although 5-year survivals were similar among the groups (94% for mitral valve replacement alone, 95% for mitral valve replacement plus maze, and 97% for mitral valve repair plus maze), freedoms from atrial fibrillation at 5 years were significantly higher in the mitral valve replacement plus maze group (78%) and the mitral valve repair plus maze group (81%) than in the mitral valve replacement group (6%, P <.0001). Freedoms from stroke at 5 years were 97% for the mitral valve replacement plus maze group, 97% for the mitral valve repair plus maze group, and only 79% for mitral valve replacement group (P <.0001). Multivariable analysis with Cox hazard model revealed that the most significant risk factor for late stroke was the omission of the Cox maze procedure (P =.003). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of the Cox maze procedure to mitral valve repair and replacement was safe and effective for selected patients. Elimination of atrial fibrillation significantly decreased the incidence of late stroke.     

The outcome and indications of the Cox maze III procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation with mitral valve disease

Objective: The efficacy of the Cox maze III procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease is unclear, and so was evaluated in this study. Methods: In 30 patients, we applied the maze III procedure (cut and suture), except for one modification in the case of a left posterior sinus node artery. After dividing the patients into sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation groups more than 6 months after the operation, we compared various parameters. Results: Sinus rhythm was restored in 27 patients (90%). One patient had atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia and needed a pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome (3.3%). The f-wave voltage in lead V₁, the preoperative cardiothoracic ratio, the preoperative left atrial systolic dimension, and the duration of atrial fibrillation were 0.23 ± 0.10 mV, 60.4% ± 5.2%, 57.4 ± 8.2 mm, respectively, and 5.1 ± 4.6 years in the group with sinus rhythm, and were 0.06 ± 0.05 mV, 77.7% ± 10.3%, 95.3 ± 24.0 mm, respectively, and 11.8 ± 5.5 years in the group with atrial fibrillation. These parameters were all significantly different between the groups. Regarding atrial function, a transmitral flow A wave was detected in 66.7% and a transtricuspid flow A wave in 100%. Only the duration of atrial fibrillation had a significant influence on the restoration of left atrial function. Conclusion: The maze III procedure was effective for atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease. This procedure should be applied to patients with a cardiothoracic ratio less than 70% and a left atrial systolic dimension less than 80 mm. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1998;116:220-7)     

Biatrial maze procedure versus pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation during mitral valve surgery: New analytical approaches and end points

Objective

To use novel statistical methods for analyzing the effect of lesion set on (long-standing) persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) in the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network trial of surgical ablation during mitral valve surgery (MVS).

Concomitant ablation of atrial fibrillation in rheumatic mitral valve surgery

Objective

Efficacy of atrial fibrillation ablation in rheumatic mitral valve disease has been regarded inferior to that in nonrheumatic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate net clinical benefits by the addition of concomitant atrial fibrillation ablation in rheumatic mitral valve surgery.

慢性心房颤动合并二尖瓣病的迷宫手术

作者自１９９５年至１９９６年１０月共作２０例慢性心房颤动的迷宫手术和二尖瓣替换或修复术。术吣外膜标测结果左房多为扑（１４／２０）,右房则往往是颤动（１８／２０）。无早期死亡。２０例随访３个月以上,其中１４例随访在１年以上,经电生理检查均为窦性心率,房室同步活动,不能诱发房颤;经多普勒超声心动图检查,左和右心房输出功能正常。晚期死亡１例,手术后４年半月死于急性坏死性肝炎,对迷宫手术作了一些改进,术后     

Radiofrequency modified maze procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation

Background We studied the effectiveness of Radiofrequency (RF) modified maze in early and late restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Methods We studied 84 patients with RHD over 23.6±12.5 months after the RF modified maze and another group of 64 patients over six months after valvular surgery alone (the Non-Maze group). Any thromboembolic episodes and NYHA class of the patient were recorded. The short term survivors in sinus rhythm, underwent stress test and echocardiography for atrial transport function at 3–6 months after surgery. Results In the Maze group, sinus rhythm was restored in 60/70 patients (85.71%) immediately and sustained in 55/70 patients (78.57%) over the follow-up as against an immediate conversion rate of 5.3% (5/53 patients, p<0.001) in the Non-maze group. The additional Cardiopulmonary (CP) bypass time (p=0.13) and cross clamp time (p=0.511) needed for maze is not statistically significant. Left atrial (LA) transport function was preserved in 41/51 patients (80.4%) and Right atrial (RA) transport function in 51/51 patients (100%). Stress test showed good chronotropic response in all the 41 patients in whom it was performed. In the Maze group one patient presented with acute valve thrombosis and subsequently, succumbed to it. In the non maze group 3/55 patients (5.66%) were hospitalized for stroke. No patient needed permanent pacemaker nor was sinus node dysfunction seen. The immediate postoperative morbidity and mortality was comparable in the two groups. Conclusions The RF modified maze is safe, effective and brief without any additional risk. It restores sinus rhythm in the majority, however there is an attrition in some.     

Outcome of valve repair and the Cox maze procedure for mitral regurgitation and associated atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine whether the Cox maze procedure provides adjunctive benefit in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing mitral valve repair. METHODS: We compared the outcome of 39 patients who had the Cox maze procedure plus mitral valve repair between January 1993 and December 1996 (maze group) with that of 58 patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation who had mitral valve repair during the same interval by the same surgeons (control group). Patients in the 2 cohorts were similar for age, gender, preoperative New York Heart Association class III or IV, and duration of preoperative atrial fibrillation. The control group had a higher incidence of previous heart surgery and coronary artery disease. RESULTS: No operative deaths occurred, and 1 patient in each group required pacemaker implantation after the operation. Duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (122 +/- 40 minutes vs 58 +/- 27 minutes, P <.0001) and hospitalization (12.6 +/- 6.4 vs 9.3 +/- 3.4 days, P <.0025) were prolonged in patients having the Cox maze procedure. Overall, 2-year survival was similar (92% +/- 5% for maze patients and 96% +/- 3% for controls). Freedom from atrial fibrillation in the maze group was 74% +/- 8% 2 years after the operation compared with 27% +/- 7% for the control group (P <.0001). Freedom from stroke or anticoagulant-associated bleeding in the maze group was 100% 2 years after the operation compared with 90% +/- 8% in the control group (P =.04). At most recent follow-up, 82% of maze patients were in normal sinus rhythm (53% in control group). CONCLUSION: The addition of the Cox maze procedure to mitral valve repair is safe and effective for selected patients, and elimination of atrial fibrillation decreased late complications.