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Atrial Fibrillation: Should Cardiac Surgeons Be Consulted?

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Cardiac Arrhythmias

Abstract

The role of surgery in the treatment of arrhythmias has evolved due to improvements in catheter-based ablation techniques. In most centers, atrial fibrillation is now the only condition that is referred to the cardiac surgeon. The increasing demand for minimally invasive therapy gives the cardiologist first pick, but with the growing body of evidence there has been a shift back towards the surgeon. This chapter compares various surgical and catheter-based techniques and analyzes the current available outcome data. Although minimally invasive surgical approaches are increasing in popularity and have been shown to be safe and non-inferior to catheter ablation, they lack adequate follow-up data. Future data from randomized studies will clarify the role for the various approaches and formation of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin, Hong Kong

    Max Baghai MBBS PhD FRCS(CTh), Randolph H. L. Wong MB ChB, FCSHK, FAMHK, Innes Y. P. Wan MB ChB, FCSHK, FAMHK & Malcolm John Underwood MD, FRCS

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  1. Max Baghai MBBS PhD FRCS(CTh)
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  2. Randolph H. L. Wong MB ChB, FCSHK, FAMHK
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  3. Innes Y. P. Wan MB ChB, FCSHK, FAMHK
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  4. Malcolm John Underwood MD, FRCS
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Correspondence to Malcolm John Underwood MD, FRCS .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Center Hospitalier Coutances, Coutances, France

    Ambrose S. Kibos

  2. Department of Internal Medicine Division of Cardiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Bradley P. Knight

  3. Division of Cardiology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Vidal Essebag

  4. Department of Cardiology, Miami Children's Hospital, Miami, Florida, USA

    Steven B. Fishberger

  5. School of Biology, Chemistry and Health, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Mark Slevin

  6. “Acad. Vasile Candea” Emergency Clinical Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Titu Maiorescu” University Faculty of Medicine,, Bucharest, Romania

    Ion C. Țintoiu

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Baghai, M., Wong, R.H.L., Wan, I.Y.P., Underwood, M.J. (2014). Atrial Fibrillation: Should Cardiac Surgeons Be Consulted?. In: Kibos, A., Knight, B., Essebag, V., Fishberger, S., Slevin, M., Țintoiu, I. (eds) Cardiac Arrhythmias. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5316-0_34

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