Surgical Treatment of Arrhythmias Associated with Congenital Heart Disease / 대한흉부외과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We analyzed our experience of arrhythmia surgery in patients with congenital heart disease. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective review was performed on 43 consecutive patients with congenital heart disease, who underwent arrhythmia surgery between June 1998 and June 2006. RESULT: The median age at surgery was 52 years (4~75 years). The most frequent cardiac anomaly was an atrial septal defect (23/43, 53.5%). The types of arrhythmias were atrial flutter-fibrillation, intermittent non-sustainable ventricular tachycardia and others in 37, 2 and 4, respectively. Arrhythmia surgery consisted of a bi-atrial maze operation in 18 patients (modified cox maze III procedure in 5 patients, and a right side maze plus pulmonary vein cryo-isolation in 13), right side maze operation in 18 patients, cavo-tricuspid isthmus cryoablation for benign atrial flutter in 4 patients, right ventricular endocardial cryoablation in 2 patients and extranodal cryoablation for atrioventricular node re-entry tachycardia in 1 patient. The median follow-up was 23.8 months (1~95.2 months). There was no early mortality, and one late non-cardiac related death. The overall rates of restored sinus rhythm before discharge and 3~6 months after surgery were 79% and 81%, respectively (bi-atrial maze group 72% and 83%, right-side maze group 77%, 77%). CONCLUSION: Arrhythmias associated with congenital heart disease can be safely treated surgically with an excellent intermediate-term outcome.