Author/Authors :
Mork, Constantin Department of Cardiac Surgery - University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland , Koechlin, Luca Department of Cardiac Surgery - University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland , Streif, Matthias Department of Radiology - University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland , Hollinger, Alexa Department of Clinical Research - University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland , Siegemund, Martin Department of Clinical Research - University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland , Eckstein, Friedrich Department of Cardiac Surgery - University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland , Santer, David Department of Cardiac Surgery - University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
Abstract :
In March 2020, a 64-year-old female with mitral valve insufficiency and persistent atrial fibrillation underwent preoperative
noninvasive mapping for developing an ablation strategy. In the computed tomography (CT) scan, typical signs of COVID-19
were described. Since the consecutive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was negative, the severely symptomatic patient was
planned for urgent surgery. Noninvasive mapping showed that atrial fibrillation was maintained by left atrial structures and
pulmonary veins only. On admission day, the preoperative routine COVID-19 PCR test was positive, and after recovery,
uneventful mitral valve repair with cryoablation of the left atrium and pulmonary veins was performed. Our case describes the
potential benefit of preoperative noninvasive mapping for the development of a surgical ablation strategy, as well as the
challenges in managing urgent surgical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding diagnostic relevance of
CT.
