[Prevention of atrial fibrillation during the acute postoperative period following open-heart surgery by pulmonary vein antrum isolation using bipolar radiofrequency ablation].

We evaluated the effectiveness of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with bipolar radiofrequency ablation in prevention of atrial fibrillation during the acute postoperative period following open-heart surgery. Twenty-six patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) underwent elective open-heart surgery combined with PVI using bipolar radiofrequency ablation from October 2004 to January 2006. They consisted of 17 male and 9 female with the mean age of 64.2 +/- 8.6 years. Their structural heart disease included coronary artery disease, aortic valve disease, and mitral valve disease. PVI was performed on the bilateral pulmonary vein antra under beating heart using cardiopulmonary bypass. The bipolar radiofrequency system included Atricure (n = 19) and Cardioblate (n = 7). There was no operative death nor complication related to bipolar radiofrequency ablation. In principle, no anti-arrhythmic drugs except beta-blockades were administered postoperatively. In 24 of 26 (92.3%) patients, the sinus rhythms were restored without PAF during the 2 week postoperative period. Even in cases with preoperative PAF, PVI was effective in preventing atrial fibrillation during the acute phase following open-heart surgery. We suggest that bipolar radiofrequency ablation is an alternative procedure to prevent atrial fibrillation in open-heart surgery.