Impact:

Surgical ablation has been used to treat patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) that is not well-controlled with medical therapy. During ablation, areas of the heart that are sending abnormal electrical signals are destroyed with heat or cold. In 2003, Argenziano and colleagues demonstrated that patients with longstanding atrial fibrillation could be treated successfully with a minimally invasive, robotic surgical procedure, reducing postoperative recovery time.