The long-term efficacy of concomitant maze IV surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. AF surgery is widely used for rhythm control of AF, but previous studies have shown varying results. This study sought to investigate the long-term efficacy of concomitant maze IV (CMIV) surgery in an unselected AF population and identify predictors of late AF recurrence.