Data collection
arrhythmia, arrhythmia-related
EVENTS, EVENT, ARRHYTHMIA, COMPLICATIONS
Study visits are scheduled to occur before randomization and at 3, 6, and 12 months; a detailed medical history, a routine blood pressure measurement and physical examination, laboratory testing, and 48- to 72-h Holter monitoring will be conducted at each visit. All patients with arrhythmia-related symptoms, especially after the blanking period, will be encouraged to undergo electrocardiography (ECG) during their symptomatic periods, and such events will be registered with the study investigator. In addition, patients who experience longer-lasting arrhythmia symptoms will be instructed to contact local hospitals and undergo cardioversion within 48 h, and additional monitoring (e.g. extra Holter or event monitoring) will be performed for patients with arrhythmia symptoms who cannot be monitored during an acute episode. All ECGs and Holter monitoring will be reviewed by a blinded study investigator. Peri-operative clinical and baseline data, such as the type of AF, medical history, laboratory results, complications, cardiac ultrasound features, general information about the operation, a record of surgical ablation, post-operative complications, and pre-operative medication, will be collected through the electronic medical record database.