Intraoperative Cryoablation of Atrial Fibrillation With the Old-Fashioned Cryode Tips: A Simple, Effective, and Inexpensive Method

Nowadays atrial fibrillation is usually treated simultaneously with cardiac procedures, and new cryo-systems have been developed for performing easier and faster intraoperative ablation. However, the old cryode designs can still be useful in surgical practice and represent a more cost-effective method. In this article we present a technique using old-fashioned cryodes for intraoperative treatment of atrial fibrillation and comment on its advantages and limitations.