Providing equipoise in the management of patients after surgical ablation with the Cox-Maze IV

We thank McClure and colleagues1 for their contributions to the field of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and for their interest in our study on oral anticoagulation (OAC) after the Cox-Maze IV operation.2 These colleagues make 4 comments in their letter to the Editor1 that require a response: (1) the impact of small sample size on conclusions, (2) their accounting of strokes and the group without OAC, (3) the need to follow the guidelines and continue OAC, and (4) the applicability of left atrial appendage occlusion studies to guide clarity on OAC management after surgical ablation.
Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: Adult: Arrhythmias: Letter to the editor Source Type: research