Background: This study investigates short-term outcomes following surgical interventions for atrial fibrillation (Af), including the Cox-maze Ⅳ procedure (maze procedure) and pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), performed concurrently with other cardiac surgeries. Additionally, we aim to determine the indications for surgical intervention for Af.
Method: We retrospectively studied a total of 1,580 patients, out of which 274 had preoperative Af, that underwent cardiac surgery between January 2015 and April 2023. Patients who underwent emergency surgery, died in the hospital postoperatively, or received pacemaker implantation were excluded. Patients were first divided into two groups:the intervention group (n=135, 53.6%) and the non-intervention group( n=117, 46.4%), further categorized by whether they were in sinus rhythm at discharge. The intervention group was then subdivided into the maze procedure group( n=54), and the PVI group (n=76).
Results: Within the maze procedure group, significant differences were observed between the sinus rhythm and non-sinus rhythm groups in terms of age, preoperative Af duration, and aortic valve intervention status. In the PVI group, patients with persistent Af, longer preoperative Af duration, and larger left atrium diameter( LAD) were less likely to return to sinus rhythm. Smaller LAD was also a significant factor for returning to sinus rhythm in the non-intervention group. Multivariate analysis for all patients revealed that an LAD smaller than 50 mm was the strongest predictor for returning to sinus rhythm post operation( p<0.01).
Conclusion: For patients with persistent Af, the maze procedure is favored over PVI as a surgical intervention. When LAD exceeds 50 mm, the likelihood of returning to sinus rhythm is diminished.