Since the introduction of thoracoscopic ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), the field of minimally invasive AF treatment has evolved toward an established treatment option for AF, with an overall 2-year antiarrhythmic drug free success rate of 77%. Complications are usually minor, and the incidence of bleeding needing conversion to sternotomy or (mini-)thoracotomy varies between 0% and 1.6%. Bleeding is often related to encircling the pulmonary veins, which is a blind maneuver that has to be done without direct camera vision. We propose here a modified surgical technique to simplify the procedure, shorten the operating time, and lower the risk of complications.
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