Long-Term Outcomes of Surgical Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
Ho Jin Kim, Joon Bum Kim, Seon‐Ok Kim, Min Soo Cho, Jin Kyoung Kim, Wan Kee Kim, Keunhyun Oh, Sung‐Ho Jung, Suk Jung Choo, Cheol Hyun Chung, Jae Won Lee
Abstract
Background: The lesion sets for surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) that provide optimal outcomes have remained controversial. Objectives: We evaluated the effects of left-atrial (LA) ablation of AF compared with bi-atrial (BA) ablation on the clinical and rhythm outcomes, and examined the predictors for AF recurrence and permanent pacing in consideration of ablation lesion sets. Methods: Between 2001 and 2018, 1,965 patients underwent surgical ablation during cardiac surgery at our institution. Among these, 796 and 1,169 patients underwent LA and BA ablation, respectively. The clinical outcomes were evaluated after propensity score adjustment, with death accounting for a competing event. The probability of AF recurrence was estimated with the generalized estimating equations model. Results: = 0.091) was comparable between the 2 groups. Conclusions: The risk of AF recurrence and adverse events was comparable between the 2 ablation lesion sets. BA ablation was not related to an increased risk of permanent pacing.