Left Atrial Cryoablation Enhanced by Ganglionated Plexi Ablation in the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

The observed patient file consisted of 100 patients, who have undergone a combined open-heart surgery at our department between July 2012 and December 2014. The patients were indicated for the surgical procedure due to structural heart disease, and suffered from paroxysmal, persistent, or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. In all cases, left atrial cryoablation was performed in the extent of isolation of pulmonary veins, box lesion, connecting lesion with mitral annulus, amputation of the left atrial appendage and connecting lesion of the appendage base with left pulmonary veins. Furthermore, thirty-five of the patients underwent mapping and radiofrequency ablation of ganglionated plexi, together with decision and ablation of the ligament of Marshall.