Three years experience with monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency ablation surgery in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation.

Objective: In our population permanent atrial fibrillation (pAF) is a frequent concomitant problem in patients undergoing open heart surgery. A 3-year experience with a treatment strategy using mono- and bipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablation procedures in a heterogeneous group of patients is reported.

Methods: In a prospective analysis the incidence of pAF among all patients undergoing open heart surgery in our department between February 2001 and July 2004 was evaluated.