Biatrial radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation: epicardial and endocardial surgical approach.

Radiofrequency energy applied by means of surgical probes permits the ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study presents our initial experience on 55 consecutive cardiac patients with permanent AF with radiofrequency ablation through biatrial epicardial and endocardial surgical approach. At discharge, 8.1% of the patients had persistent AF-atrial flutter. Hospital incidence of arrhythmias were, 9% of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 10.9% of atrial flutter, and 34.5% of persistent atrial fibrillation. After a mean follow-up of 7 months, 83.6% patients have recovered sinus rhythm, and echocardiographic biatrial contraction was re-established in 73%. Biatrial radiofrequency ablation applied from the endocardium and the epicardium has achieved satisfactory results, without increasing the surgical risk.