This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Antonio di Virgilio Francesco Onorati Pasquale Mastroroberto Attilio Renzulli Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by di Virgilio, A. Articles by Renzulli, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by di Virgilio, A. Articles by Renzulli, A. Related Collections Electrophysiology - arrhythmias Minimally invasive surgery

Beating-heart ablation of the cavo-tricuspid isthmus

Cardiac Surgery Unit, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy

*Corresponding author. Address: Viale dei Pini 28, 80131 Napoli, Italy. Tel.: +39 961 712308; fax: +39 961 712405.

E-mail address: frankono{at}libero.it (F. Onorati).

Atrial flutter onset following ‘mini-Maze’ procedures worsens patient recovery and prolongs hospital-stay. It has been demonstrated that atrial flutter recurrence following isolated left-sided ‘mini-Maze’ often originates from the right cavo-tricuspid isthmus. We report here a simple procedure to ablate the cavo-tricuspid isthmus, either on cardio-pulmonary bypass and/or off-pump. Two ablation lines were made with an irrigated bipolar radiofrequency clamp, starting from a purse-string suture in front of the coronary sinus toward the coronary sinus and the atrio-ventricular groove, respectively. Another ablation line is directed toward the right appendage. A purse-string suture on the right appendage is used to connect the inferior with the superior vena cava, thus ablating the terminal crest.

Key Words: Electrophysiology; Arrhythmias; Minimally invasive surgery

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Onorati, A. Esposito, G. Messina, A. di Virgilio, and A. Renzulli Right Isthmus Ablation Reduces Supraventricular Arrhythmias After Surgery for Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Ann. Thorac. Surg., January 1, 2008; 85(1): 39 - 48. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Onorati, M. Bilotta, F. Borrello, M. Vatrano, A. di Virgilio, M. C. Comi, F. Perticone, and A. Renzulli Successful radiofrequency ablation determines atrio-ventricular remodelling and improves systo-diastolic function at tissue Doppler-imaging Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., March 1, 2007; 31(3): 414 - 422. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]