Mid-term results of endoscopic mitral valve repair in combination with endocardial or epicardial ablation.

Objective: Concomitant ablative therapy for atrial fibrillation can be effective at converting patients to normal sinus rhythm and at maintaining a regular rhythm for at least 5 years. We provide herein a comparison of an endocardial approach using Cryoablation with an epicardial approach using a suction-based RF ablation technology.

Methods: Between February 2004 and January 2009, 325 patients underwent an endoscopic mitral valve repair.