Assessment of Long-Term Outcomes of Biatrial Cox-Maze Iv Cryoablation in Combined Cardiac Surgery

Objective: To analyze the results of biatrial (BA) Cox-Maze IV cryoablation during combined heart surgeries. Methods: The study involved 88 patients who underwent BA cryoablation and concomitant cardiac surgery. The inclusion criteria were patients who underwent BA cryoablation and concomitant cardiac surgery between 2019 and 2021. The types of atrial fibrillation (AF) observed were as follows: persistent – 39 (44.3%) and long-term persistent – 49 (55.7%) cases. Results: The following procedures were performed: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 5 cases (5.7%), isolated valve repair in 67 cases (76.1%), and valve repair combined with CABG in 16 cases (18.2%). The aortic cross-clamping (ACC) time was 143 minutes [range: 120.5-161.5], and the cardiopulmonary bypass time was 193.5 minutes [range: 168.5-210]. BA Cox-Maze IV cryoablation was performed in all cases. The hospital mortality rate was 1.1%. Sinus rhythm was restored at the time of discharge in 81 patients (92%). Two patients (2.3%) received a permanent pacemaker. The survival rates at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were 88.9%, 88.9%, 82.2%, and 73.5%, respectively. The rates of remaining free from AF at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were 87.5%, 80.7%, 68.3%, and 38.6%, respectively. Conclusion: Cryoablation using the maze procedure as a concomitant step during cardiac surgery is a safe procedure with a high likelihood of restoring sinus rhythm.