ObjectiveTo evaluate the mid-term recovery of cardiac function after heart valve replacement and concomitant bipolar radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF).
Methods Clinical data of 191 patients with heart valve disease and AF in the same surgical team of Xinqiao Hospital from January 2011 Jan to December 2013 was retrospectively analyzed. Heart valve replacement was performed for a control group (n=93), which includes 31 males and 62 females with their age of 48.33±7.55 years and AF duration of 4.80±2.03 years. Valve replacement and concomitant bipolar radiofrequency ablation was performed for a synchronism ablation group (n=98), which includes 27 males and 71 females with their age of 46.95±7.70 years and AF duration of 5.06±2.26 years. The echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and complications at hospitalization, 6 months, 1 year and 2 year after operation were analyzed.
ResultsNo in-hospital death occurred. There were statistical differences in aortic cross-clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, tricuspid ring, ICU stay, total volume of postoperative drainage between the two groups. All the patients were followed up for 2 years. Two years postoperatively, in the synchronism ablation group, 85 patients (86.73%) were followed up, 1 patient with cerebral embolism, 2 patients with cerebral hemorrhage. In the control group, 85 patients (91.40%) were followed up, 4 patients with cerebral embolism, 2 patients with cerebral hemorrhage. There were no death, cardiac rupture, and permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation in the two groups during the follow-up. One year and 2 years postoperative fractional shortening of the synchronism ablation group was significantly higher than those of the control group (37.18%±5.35% vs. 34.72%±6.40%, P=0.007; 37.95%±7.99% vs. 35.18%±5.15%, P=0.008). One year and 2 years postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction of the synchronism ablation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (66.27%±6.99% vs. 63.33%±8.14%, P=0.012). The rate of self-feeling cardiac function improvement in 1 year and 2 years after surgery of the synchronism ablation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (85.39% vs. 72.94%, P=0.005; 84.71% vs. 68.24%, P=0.005).
ConclusionCardiac function of the mid-term after the valve replacement and concomitant bipolar radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation obviously improves.
