Evaluation of ventral cardiac denervation as a prophylaxis against atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting

Background. To evaluate the efficacy of ventral cardiac denervation as a prophylaxis against post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods. Seventy consecutive patients who underwent CABG (group A) were compared to 70 consecutive subsequent patients who underwent CABG + ventral cardiac denervation (group B). Both groups were well-matched for age, gender, disease severity, LV function, Euro scores, Parsonnet scores, preoperative beta-blockers, Ca-channel blockers, digoxin, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The same cardioplegia, bypass, and operation techniques were used in all cases. Denervation before initiating bypass increased operation time by approximately 5 minutes. Heart rate and rhythm were monitored by continuous telemetry until postoperative day 5 and then 4- hourly until discharge. Results. The cross-clamp time (p = 0.6), bypass time (p 0.1), number of grafts (P = 0.9), inotrope usage (p = 0.4), reexploration rate (p = 1), postoperative myocardial infarction (none in either group), blood loss (p = 0.7), and length of stay (p = 0.8) were comparable in both groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of AF; 34% in group A versus 29% in group B (p = 0.3). Conclusions. Ventral cardiac denervation failed to significantly reduce the incidence of AF following coronary revascularization in our study. (C) 2005 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.