Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation: technique of thoracoscopic radiofrequency fragmentation of the left atrium

Vachev S.A.¹, Bogachev-Prokofiev A.V.², Zotov A.S.¹, Elesin D.A.², Voronin S.V.¹, Troitsky A.V.¹, Khabazov R.I.¹

1) Federal Scientific and Clinical Centre of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies, Federal Biomedical Agency, Moscow,
2) National Medical Research Centre named after Academician E.N. Meshalkin under the RF Ministry of Public Health, Novosibirsk, Russia

Presented in the article is a detailed description of a modified technique of minimally invasive surgical treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation – thoracoscopic radiofrequency fragmentation of the left atrium. This modification differs from the prototype GALAXY procedure by a significant increase of the "quantitative" rather than "qualitative" parameter of surgical aggression in relation to the left atrium. This technique results in creation of multiple transmural continuous closed lines of lesion to the left atrium and, consequently, a reduced risk of inadequate surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation.

Besides the radiofrequency action on the wall of the left atrium, the protocol of the operation included destruction of the ligament of Marshall and resection of the left atrial appendage.

An indication for performing this operation is the presence of various forms of atrial fibrillation.

KEY WORDS: atrial fibrillation, surgical treatment, radiofrequency ablation, thoracoscopy.

P. 152-157

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