Thoracic Key

Future of the Interventional Treatment of Stand-Alone Atrial Fibrillation

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Future of the Interventional Treatment of Stand-Alone Atrial Fibrillation

Current Status During a September 2022 celebration of the 35th anniversary of the first Maze procedure, I was asked if I thought that the Maze procedure would still be around…

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Effect of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion on Left Atrial Function and Electrophysiology

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Effect of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion on Left Atrial Function and Electrophysiology

Normal Left Atrial Function The major contribution of the left atrium (LA) to forward cardiac output is its function as a passive capacitance chamber, not as a contracting pumping chamber…

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Postoperative Peri-Mitral Flutter

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Postoperative Peri-Mitral Flutter

Peri-mitral atrial flutter is a common postoperative arrhythmia that often occurs after isolation of the pulmonary veins (PVs), especially when the posterior wall of the left atrium (LA) is also…

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New-Onset Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on New-Onset Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a serious complication of adult cardiac surgery that occurs in 20% to 55% of cases. It should be differentiated from recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF)…

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Totally Thoracoscopic Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Totally Thoracoscopic Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion

The unique anatomic configuration of the left atrial appendage (LAA) inherently increases the risk of thrombus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), with nearly 90% of left atrial thrombi…

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Anatomy and Physiology of the Left Atrial Appendage

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Anatomy and Physiology of the Left Atrial Appendage

Embryologic Origin of the Left Atrial Appendage The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a special structure of the heart, with important differences in anatomic structure and physiology from the left…

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The Future of Concomitant Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on The Future of Concomitant Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

The biggest challenge that needs to be addressed in the concomitant surgical treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is education. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and European Association…

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The Future of Left Atrial Appendage Management

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on The Future of Left Atrial Appendage Management

Surgeons’ interest in the left atrial appendage (LAA) dates to 1949, when John L. Madden published a paper titled “Resection of the left auricular appendix: A prophylaxis for recurrent arterial…

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Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapy and Anticoagulation Following the Maze Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapy and Anticoagulation Following the Maze Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation

The objective of the Maze procedure is to render the atria incapable of fibrillating by precluding or interrupting the development of macro-reentrant circuits (drivers) that sustain atrial fibrillation (AF) drivers…

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Randomized Trials of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion

May 17, 2026 by drzezo in CARDIOLOGY Comments Off on Randomized Trials of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 1% of the general population and about 11% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and it is an important risk factor for stroke. Most ischemic strokes in…

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