Cryoablation for simultaneous surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation and valvular or ischemic heart diseases – our early experience in Varna

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a problem with rising frequency and importance in developed countries. The consequences of that condition are a significant medical, social and economic problems: high risk of development of heart failure, ischemic stroke, decreased quality of life and lowered life expectancy. With the development of theoretical knowledge and technical means in medicine, new surgical methods have been established and validated for the treatment of AF, among them is cryoablation. We present our early experience with the concomitant treatment of AF with cryoablation for patients undergoing surgical treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), mitral and aortic valvular pathology. The system used for cryoalbation uses nitrous oxide (N2O). The results from patient follow-up show high effectiveness of the procedure even in the initial phase of mastering the skill.