Sarasota Memorial Joins International Study to Prevent Atrial Fibrillation After Heart Surgery
New-onset atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one of the most common complications after heart surgery, affecting up to 50% of patients and often leading to longer hospital stays, reduced quality of life, and increased risks of stroke, heart failure and death. Despite its prevalence, there are currently no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments proven to prevent AFib in patients who did not have the condition prior to surgery.
Researchers at Sarasota Memorial’s Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute are working to address this challenge through participation in the BoxX-NoAF clinical trial, a multicenter international study sponsored by AtriCure.
Led locally by Jeffrey Sell, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon with Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group, the study will evaluate whether performing surgical ablation and left atrial appendage exclusion (LAAE) during planned heart surgery can safely and effectively reduce new-onset AFib in patients who have risk factors for the condition but no prior history of it.
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