Simple but Effective Modifications to the Cox Maze Procedure Using Only Cryoablation

We describe an effective and practical approach for concomitant ablation that we use in 100% of mitral surgery patients with a history of atrial fibrillation. There are three steps. First the left atrial appendage is closed with a Clip with is highly effective and electrically isolates it. Second, 3 cryoablation lines are used to recreate the key Cox-Maze III lesion set with a total of 8 minutes of ablation time. In some patients, usually with tricuspid regurgitation, 3 right atrial ablations are placed with 6 minutes of ablation time.
Source: Operative Techniques in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Source Type: research