Development of intraoperative frequency analysis guided surgery for atrial fibrillation

To investigate the mechanism of atrial fibrillation （AF) and to obtain the better surgical results, we developed epicardial mapping system and performed the frequency analysis of fibrillation. At open heart cardiac surgery with AF, electrical potentials of fibrillation were collected with 24 epicardial matted bipolar electrodes. Atrial electrograms filtered between 1 Hz and 500 Hz were recorded for 20 seconds and four-second segments of each electrograms were subjected to fast Fourier transform analysis to calculate the fibrillation cycle length. From the obtained data we decided the operative strategy of AF. Intraoperative epicardial mapping and analysis of fibrillation cycle length were performed safely and quickly in all patients. Intraoperative frequency analysis using epicardial mapping system in patients with AF appeared feasible and faithful. Although they are preliminary observations, fibrillation cycle length may be helpful in predicting focus of AF.