Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation using nitrous oxide-based cryoablation is safe? how much effective?

Abstract

Purpose: Chronic Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhytmia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. In this study we aim to share our cryoablation experiences.Material and Methods: We performed 25 cryoablations during cardiac surgery in Adana Numune Education and Research Hospital between September 2013 and July 2014. Patients evaluated retrospectively.The operations were performed with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cold blood cardioplegia.Results: 14 mitral valve replacement, 7 aortic valve replacement and mitral valve replacement, 1 aortic valve replacement and tricuspid repair, 2 coronary artery bypass grafting, 1 coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve repair were applied. A -50-(-90) degrees of cryoprobe temperature was applied about 120 seconds. No complications developed in any of the patiens. Postoperative first day, first week, third month and after one year electrocardiography (ECG) of the patiens has evaluated. The corelation between preoperative left atrial diameter (M mode echocardiography) and postoperative first year atrial fibrillation has been investigated with corelation analysis. After one year controlls showed that 17 of 25 patient restored sinus rhytm and 8 of 25 patiens has still atrial fibrillation rhytm.Conclusion: Cryoablation using nitrous oxide based device for the treatment of atrial fibrillation has been applied recently and we consider that it is safe and effective.