Background and early results of a modified left atrial radiofrequency procedure concomitant with cardiac surgery.

With the introduction of the maze operation Cox was able to show that the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) is feasible. However, the maze operation remains surgically demanding and time-consuming as it requires multiple incisions in both atria. This has led to the development of various modifications.

Initial experience with a modified left atrial maze procedure concomitant to cardiac surgery.

Background: The excellent results of the Cox-Maze-III operation showed that a surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation is possible. The maze operation is surgically demanding and time-consuming. This fact led to the development of simplified modifications.

Efficacy of antiestrogen treatment in a benign metastasizing leiomyoma with paraneoplastic estradiol production.

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare hormone-dependent disease which occurs predominantly in women during their child-bearing years. After our patient had refused ablative hormone therapy (bilateral ovarectomy), evidence of estrogen and progesteron receptors in tumor tissue taken from the lung sites, as well as extremely high estradiol serum levels, led us to conduct high-dosage antiestrogen therapy for 5 years; daily administration of 250 mg of Tamoxpuren(R) resulted in stable disease of the pulmonary sites without any side effects. This also significantly lowered estradiol serum levels, which improved clinical symptoms.