Improvement of left atrial function and left atrial reverse remodeling after surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is an emerging technology for the evaluation of left atrial (LA) function. This technique is feasible, overcomes the limitations of tissue Doppler imaging and has been demonstrated to accurately assess atrial function during the different phases of the cardiac cycle (1). Atrial structural and electrical remodeling are the hallmarks of atrial fibrillation (AF), and left atrial reverse remodeling (LARR) with recovery of atrial function are considered important targets of any AF treatment. While reverse remodeling has been demonstrated to occur after catheter ablation irrespective of the paroxysmal or persistent nature of AF (2), little is known about LVRR and atrial function in response to successful surgical AF ablation. Therefore, we evaluated LA function and reverse remodeling after restoration of sinus rhythm following minimally invasive atrial fibrillation surgery (MIAFS).