Abstract
Since the original description of the Cox-Maze procedure two decades ago, there has been considerable refinement and expansion of surgical techniques for atrial fibrillation (AF). During this same time, there has been a parallel evolution of catheter-based ablation techniques designed to cure AF. Recent guidelines have been developed to guide patient selection for pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic options for therapy of AF. Understanding the mechanisms of AF will lead to better management strategies and improved patient outcomes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cox, J. L., Boineau, J. P., Schuessler, R. B., et al. (1991). Successful surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation: Review and clinical update. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 266, 1976–1980.
Cox, J. L., Schuessler, R. B., & Boineau, J. P. (2000). The development of the Maze procedure for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 12, 2–14.
Cox, J. L., Schuessler, R. B., D’Agostino, H. J. Jr., Stone, C. M., Chang, B. C., Cain, M. E., et al. (2005). The surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. III. Development of a definitive surgical procedure. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 101(4), 569–583.
Chugh, S. S., Blackshear, J. L., Shen, W. K., Hammill, S. C, & Gersh, B. J. (2001). Epidemiology and natural history of atrial fibrillation: Clinical implications. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 37, 371–378.
Fuster, V., Rydén, L. E., et al. (2006). ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation-Executive Summary: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines and Policy Conferences (Writing Committee to Revise the 2001 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation). Developed in Collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association and the Heart Rhythm Society. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 48, 149–246.
McNamara, R. L., Brass, L. M., Drozda, J. P., Go, A. S., Halperin, J. L., Kerr, C. R., et al. (2004). ACC/AHA key data elements and definitions for measuring the clinical management and outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Data Standards (Writing Committee to Develop Data Standards on Atrial Fibrillation). Circulation, 109, 3223–3324.
Wyse, D. G., Waldo, A. L., DiMarco, J. P., Domanski, M. J., Rosenberg, Y., Schron, E. B., et al. (2002). A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation. New England Journal of Medicine, 347, 1825–1833.
Prasad, S. M., Maniar, H. S., Camillo, C. J., et al. (2003). The Cox maze III procedure for atrial fibrillation: Long-term efficacy in patients undergoing lone versus concomitant procedures. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 126, 1822–1828.
Prasad, S. M., Maniar, H. S., Schuessler, R. B., et al. (2002). Chronic transmural atrial ablation by using bipolar radiofrequency energy on the beating heart. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 124, 708–713.
Prasad, S. M., Maniar, H. S., Diodato, M. D., et al. (2003). Physiological consequences of bipolar radiofrequency energy on the atria and pulmonary veins: A chronic animal study. Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 76, 836–841.
Mokadam, N. A., McCarthy, P. M., Gillinov, A. M., et al. (2004). A prospective multicenter trial of bipolar radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation: Early results. Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 78, 1665–1670.
Gaynor, S. L., Diodato, M. D., Prasad, S. M., et al. (2004). A prospective, single-center clinical trial of a modified Cox maze procedure with bipolar radiofrequency ablation. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 128, 535–542.
Nitta, T. (2005). Surgery for atrial fibrillation. Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 11, 154–158.
Melby, S., Zierer, A., Bailey, M., Cox, J. L., Lawton, J., Munfakh, N., et al. (2006). A new era in the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation the impact of ablation technology and lesion set on procedural efficacy. Annals of Surgery, 244, 583–592.
Gaita, F., Riccardi, R., Caponi, D., Shah, D., Garberoglio, L., Vivalda, L., et al. (2005). Linear cryoablation of the left atrium versus pulmonary vein cryoisolation in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation and valvular heart disease: Correlation of electroanatomic mapping and long-term clinical results. Circulation, 111(2), 136–142.
Geidel, S., Ostermeyer, J., Lass, M., Betzold, M., Duong, A., Jensen, F., et al. (2005). Three years experience with monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency ablation surgery in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 27(2), 243–249.
Isobe, N., Taniguchi, K., Oshima, S., Kamiyama, H., Ezure, M., Kaneko, T., et al. (2005). Left atrial appendage outflow velocity is superior to conventional criteria for predicting of maintenance of sinus rhythm after simple cryoablation of pulmonary vein orifices. Circulation Journal, 69(4), 446–451.
Tada, H., Ito, S., Naito, S., Hasegawa, Y., Kurosaki, K., Ezure, M., et al. (2005). Long-term results of cryoablation with a new cryoprobe to eliminate chronic atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 28(Suppl 1), S73–S77.
Packer, D. L., Asirvatham, S., & Munger, T. M. (2003). Progress in nonpharmacologic therapy of atrial fibrillation. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 14, S296–S309.
Chen, S. A., Hsieh, M. H., Tai, C. T., et al. (1999). Initiation of atrial fibrillation by ectopic beats originating from the pulmonary veins: Electrophysiological characteristics, pharmacological responses, and effects of radiofrequency ablation. Circulation, 100, 1879–1886.
Lin, W. S., Tai, C. T., Hsieh, M. H., et al. (2003). Catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation initiated by non-pulmonary vein ectopy. Circulation, 107, 3176–3183.
Haissaguerre, M., Jais, P., Shah, D.C., Takahashi, A., Hocini, M., Quiniou, G., et al. (1998). Spontaneous initiation of atrial fibrillation by ectopic beats originating in the pulmonary veins. New England Journal of Medicine, 339, 659–666.
Pappone, C., Rosanio, S., Oreto, G., Tocchi, M., Gugliotta, F., Vicedomini, G., et al. (2000). Circumferential radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary vein ostia: A new anatomic approach for curing atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 102, 2619–2628.
Pappone, C., Santinelli, V., Manguso, F., Vicedomini, G., Gugliotta, F., Augello, G., et al. (2004). Pulmonary vein denervation enhances long-term benefit after circumferential ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 109, 327–334.
Chugh, A., Oral, H., Lemola, K., Hall, B., Hall, B., Cheung, P., et al. (2005). Prevalence, mechanisms, and clinical significance of macroreentrant atrial tachycardia during and following left atrial ablation for atrial fibrillation. Heart Rhythm, 2, 464–471.
Haïssaguerre, M., Hocini, M., Sanders, P., Takahashi, Y.,Rotter, M., Sacher, M., et al. (2006). Localized sources maintaining atrial fibrillation organized by prior ablation. Circulation, 113, 616–625.
Cappato, R., Calkins, H., Chen, S. A., et al. (2005). Worldwide survey on the methods, efficacy, and safety of catheter ablation for human atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 111, 1100–1105.
Verma, A. & Natale, A. (2005). Should atrial fibrillation ablation be considered first-line therapy for some patients? Why atrial fibrillation ablation should be considered first-line therapy for some patients. Circulation, 112, 1214–1222.
Oral, H., Scharf, C., Chugh, A., Hall, B., Cheung, P., Good, E., et al. (2003). Catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation:segmental pulmonary vein ostial ablation versus left atrial ablation. Circulation, 108, 2355–2360.
Lemola, K., Desjardins, B., Sneider, M., Case, I., Chugh, A., Good, E., et al. (2005). Effect of left atrial circumferential ablation for atrial fibrillation on left atrial transport function. Heart Rhythm, 2, 923–928.
Scanavacca, M., Pisani, C., Hachul, D., Lara, S. Hardy, C., Darrieux, F., et al. (2006). Selective atrial vagal denervation guided by evoked vagal reflex to treat patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 114, 876–885.
Oral, H., Chugh, A., Good, E., Sankaran, S., Reich, S., Igic, P., et al. (2006). A tailored approach to catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Circulation, 113, 1824–1831.
Calkins, H., Brugada, J., Packer, D. L., Cappato, R., Chen, S-A., Crijns, H. J. G., et al. (2007). HRS/EHRA/ECAS Expert Consensus Statement on Catheter and Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Recommendations for Personnel, Policy, Procedures and Follow-Up:A report of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) Task Force on Catheter and Surgical Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation. Developed in partnership with the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and the European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society (ECAS); in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). Endorsed and Approved by the governing bodies of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society, the European Heart Rhythm Association, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the Heart Rhythm Society. Heart Rhythm, 4(6), 816–861.
Pruitt, J. C., Lazzara, R. R., Dworkin, G. H., Badhwar, V., Kuma, C., & Ebra, G. (2006). Totally endoscopic ablation of lone atrial fibrillation: Initial clinical experience. Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 81, 1325–1331.
Schuessler, R.B., Kay, MN.W., Melby, S.J., Branham, B.H., Boineau, J.P., & Damiano, R.J. Jr. (2006). Spatial and temporal stability of the dominant frequency of activation in human atrial fibrillation. Journal of Electrocardiology, 39, S7–S12.
Sahadevan J., Ryu, K., Peltz L., Khrestian, C. M., Stewart, R. W., Markowitz, A. H., et al. (2004). Epicardial mapping of chronic atrial fibrillation in patients: Preliminary observations. Circulation, 110, 3293–3299.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Estes, N.A.M., Damiano, R.J. Curing atrial fibrillation: Two decades of progress. J Interv Card Electrophysiol 20, 127–131 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-007-9182-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-007-9182-1