Maze surgery normalizes left ventricular function in patients with persistent lone atrial fibrillation

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the mid-term clinical and functional outcomes of maze surgery in symptomatic refractory lone atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. bleeding and 2 pacemaker (5%) implantation. At a mean follow-up of 29.4 ± 14.2 months, freedom from arrhythmias was 92 and 93% at 24 and 36 months, respectively. Freedom without antiarrhythmic drugs was 75 and 85% at 24 and 36 months, respectively. Ejection frac- tion normalized in all cases, from 51.3 ± 9% to 61.1 ± 3% (P< 0.001) overall, and from 37.0 ± 10% to 60.3 ± 3% (P< 0.001) when ≤45% pre- operatively. AF-related symptoms score decreased to class I in 36 patients (93%). No early or late stroke occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Within a dedicated AF centre, maze surgery grants excellent outcomes, with symptoms relief and negligible risk. It pro- vides a complete reversal of arrhythmia-related myocardial dysfunction and is therefore a convenient alternative to His bundle ablation and lifelong pacemaker dependency in symptomatic refractory patients.