Freedom from atrial arrhythmias after classic maze III surgery: a 10-year experience.

Objectives: We studied the persistence of favorable outcome, the occurrence of new atrial arrhythmias, and sinus node dysfunction in patients who underwent the maze III procedure.

Methods: Preoperative, in-hospital, and follow-up data of 203 patients who underwent the maze III procedure between June 1993 and June 2003 were collected. A total of 139 patients underwent the maze procedure for lone atrial fibrillation, and 64 patients underwent the maze procedure and concomitant cardiac surgery.

Results: There was no 30-day postoperative mortality. During a mean follow-up of 4.0 +/- 2.6 years, 12 patients (6%) died (2 cardiac related). At the end of follow-up, freedom from supraventricular arrhythmias was 80% for the lone atrial fibrillation group and 64% for the concomitant atrial fibrillation group. Freedom from stroke during follow-up was 100% in the lone atrial fibrillation group and 97% in the concomitant group. Multivariate analysis revealed that rhythm at 1-year follow-up (P < .001; odds ratio 9.56, 95% confidence limits 3.92-23.31) and preoperative left atrium dimension (P = .028; odds ratio 1.06 for every millimeter, 95% confidence limits 1.01-1.12) were predictors of success at the end of follow-up.

Conclusions: This study shows that the favorable results of the maze III procedure in terms of freedom from supraventricular arrhythmias persist in most patients for at least 4 years.