Atrial fibrillation is an irregular, often rapid heart rate that causes poor blood flow, decreased cardiac output, and the risk of stroke. Treatments include medications, electric cardioversion, and catheter ablation. Unfortunately, one of the challenges of atrial fibrillation is that the therapies aren’t always completely successful in returning a patient’s heart rhythm back to normal, leaving a patient at continued risk for blood clots developing in the heart that can escape and lead to embolic strokes.

Minimally invasive heart surgery for atrial fibrillation can be an important addition to medications and catheter-based ablation therapies. In addition, placement of an AtriCure left atrial clip can allow a patient to eliminate the need for blood thinners, even in cases of persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation.

This patient’s story illustrates the benefit and safety of the minimally invasive surgical procedures.