Atrial Fibrillation

[Jerry_NJ]

I have an enlarged left atrial chamber due to a leaky mitral valve. The valve was repaired in November 2007 and a maze procedure was performed to stop my permanent AFib The maze did not work, the valve repair did...wins some, lose some.

Following the surgery my enlarged left atrial was 5.11 cm, 4.0 being the normal maximum size. I underwent an electrocardioversion in August of the following year, it took but held me in NSR for only 5 days. I had had successful electrocardioversion in past years, going back about 12 years. Two of which held me in NSR for approximately 18 months each. Seems the enlarged atrial would not hold the NSR.

I underwent a followup echocardiogram last week and found my left atrium had shrunk considerably (my evaluation), it is not 4.5 cm, or about 10% over the normal maximum. The reduction in atrial size was forecast by my heart surgeon when he repaired the mitral valve.

I am thinking about asking my cardiologist trying another electrocardioversion now that my left atrial is "less" enlarged.

Any views, or errors in my understanding on atrial size?