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Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) has been the gold standard treatment for aortic stenosis (AS) for decades [1].

While mechanical valves have traditionally been preferred over bioprosthetic valves in younger patients, the use of bioprosthetic valves has expanded due to their durability, decreased risk of reoperation and the possibility of undergoing a transcatheter valve-in-valve procedure [1].

Improved resolution of cardiovascular imaging techniques allows better assessment of the morphology of cardiovascular malformations. Multi-slice computer tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction provides both static and dynamic images with high temporal and spatial resolution. We present a three-dimensional reconstruction of scimitar syndrome using multi-slice computer tomography.

Radiofrequency energy applied by means of surgical probes permits the ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study presents our initial experience on 55 consecutive cardiac patients with permanent AF with radiofrequency ablation through biatrial epicardial and endocardial surgical approach. At discharge, 8.1% of the patients had persistent AF-atrial flutter. Hospital incidence of arrhythmias were, 9% of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 10.9% of atrial flutter, and 34.5% of persistent atrial fibrillation. After a mean follow-up of 7 months, 83.6% patients have recovered sinus rhythm, and echocardiographic biatrial contraction was re-established in 73%. Biatrial radiofrequency ablation applied from the endocardium and the epicardium has achieved satisfactory results, without increasing the surgical risk.