[Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease].

The modified Cox maze procedure is the gold standard for ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery, and new approaches to atrial fibrillation ablation must be compared with it. Therefore, we sought to determine the time-related prevalence of atrial fibrillation and its risk factors after combined Cox maze and mitral valve surgery. In some patients undergoing mitral valve surgery and a Cox maze procedure, atrial fibrillation recurs over time, mandating close, long-term follow-up of heart rhythm. Earlier operation should be considered to improve results in selected patients.