Appendage obliteration to reduce stroke in cardiac surgical patients with atrial fibrillation

Left atrial appendage obliteration was historically ineffective for the prevention of postoperative stroke in patients with rheumatic atrial fibrillation who underwent operative mitral valvotomy. It is, however, a routine part of modern "curative" operations for nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation, such as the maze and corridor procedures.To assess the potential of left atrial appendage obliteration to prevent stroke in nonrheumatic atrial...