Electrophysiological And Pathological Studies On The Mechanisms Of Atrial Fibrillation In Rheumatic Heart Disease And Evaluation The Effects Of Maze Procedure

At rial fibrillation (Af) is one of the most prevalent of all arrhythmias, being present in 0. 1 5% to 1. 0% of the general population , and in up to 79% of patients with mitral valve disease. It is the second most lethal of all cardiac arrhythmias ,naxt to ventricular fibrillation. Neither medical nor electrical conversion is effective in most of these patients from Af converting to normal sinus rhythm. With great development of electrophysiologic technique, study on the mechanism and surgical treatment of Af are progressing rapidly . So far only few electrophysiological and pathological studies on the mechanism of atrial fibrillation were reported ? Howeve there were no report of any follow—up or evaluation on the effect of maze procedure objectively in our country. In an attempt to further elucidate the mechanism of atrial fibrillation and assess the effect of maze procedure , we undertook a series of re-serch work that comprised the correlation factors analysis of morbidity and prognosis, analysis of the intracardiac ptentials of the atrium during Af by electrophysiologic study, observation of microcopic ultrastructure changes of Af in RHD, and assessment of maze procedure on the aspects of electrophysiologic studies and Doppler echocardiographic hemodynamic monitoring. The main results and conclusion are as follows :Part I the correlation factors analysis of morbidity and prognosis of atrial fibrillation in patients with rheumatic heart valve diseaseBetween 1992 and 1994. 597consecutive cases with cardiac valve disease scheduled for surgery were studied for the correlation factors of morbidity and prognosis of atrial...