Follow up of Radiofrequency Maze in Mitral Patients

Radiofrequency energy was used to create continous endocardial and epicardial lesions mimicking most of the left atrial incisions set as described in the Cox Maze III procedure. In the first 70 patients a monopolar technology was employed (Cardioblate Surgical Ablation Pen, Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, MN, USA - cooled tip cardioblate pen, power ranging from 25 to 35 W), while in the subset of patients who underwent surgery after July 2005 a bipolar device was used (Cardioblate BP2 Irrigated RF Surgical Ablation System, Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, MN, USA). The tip of both types of RF probe was irrigated with saline at room temperature at a flow rate of 4-6 ml/min.

Contemporary to clinical follow up, all patients were evaluated with 2-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography by the same cardiologist at 3,6,12 and 24 months in order to specifically monitor left atrial contractility presence.