On June 24, following the completion of the first 3D thoracoscopic mitral valvuloplasty in East China, the cardiac surgery department of our hospital made further efforts and successfully carried out the first 3D thoracoscopic atrial fibrillation radiofrequency ablation in China. With realistic images, smaller incisions and safe operations, cardiac surgery at the Tenth Hospital has entered the 3D era in a comprehensive manner. ”With 3D thoracoscopy, I finally feel at ease with the surgery” The first “taste” of Mr. Wang (a pseudonym) is 64 years old, suffering from persistent atrial fibrillation for five years, although the standardized, systematic drug treatment, but the condition has not seen an improvement. Across the country, the number of patients with the same problem as Wang is very large. Atrial fibrillation has a variety of causes, including abnormalities in the development of the heart conduction system, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy, and coronary artery disease, all of which may be behind the disease. Although atrial fibrillation is not as life-threatening as an acute myocardial infarction, the feeling of palpitations when it strikes makes the old king terrified. Atrial fibrillation not only brings serious discomfort, but also induces a dangerous brain attack – irregular atrial fibrillation can easily lead to swirls and dead ends in the blood flow, which can lead to the formation of thrombus in the left atrium, and in cases such as strenuous activity or even coughing, the thrombus can be dislodged into the blood flow and form an embolus, which greatly increases the probability of stroke. In order to control atrial fibrillation, Lao Wang has been bouncing around a number of hospitals in Shenyang for treatment. The doctors invariably gave the treatment plan of “radiofrequency ablation”. But when it comes to open the chest, his heart is drumming, seems to be frightened atrial fibrillation more heavy. The old Wang’s concern is not unfounded, ordinary thoracoscopy guided radiofrequency ablation, the doctor sees a two-dimensional image, to accurately ablate the ectopic pacing point in the heart tissue, the doctor needs to have very rich clinical experience and strong spatial conformation ability. Unlike other organs, the heart is always beating rapidly, and a slight mistake in the operation may lead to unimaginable consequences. The use of 3D thoracoscopy at the 10th Hospital immediately dispelled Wang’s worries – “With 3D thoracoscopy, I am finally at ease with the surgery. The doctor sees a realistic three-dimensional image, so of course it’s safe to do the surgery.” ”Another leap in minimally invasive cardiac surgery” Unlike patients’ intuitive and emotional thinking, cardiac surgeons are more likely to evaluate and measure the latest surgical techniques and devices from an academic perspective. As a renowned expert in the field of cardiac surgery in Shanghai, Professor Zang Wangfu has felt every change in the concept and technology of minimally invasive surgery. The earliest atrial fibrillation ablation surgery can be described as “shocking” – a 20 cm long incision is made in the middle of the patient’s chest, and then the sternum and ribs are sawed open to completely expose the heart… …Although the surgery eliminated the ectopic pacing point, the trauma caused to the patient was obvious and definitely traumatic. Since then, with the rise of lumpectomy, cardiac surgery has entered the era of minimally invasive surgery, with the size of the incision reduced to 4 cm to 5 cm without damaging the sternum. However, traditional thoracoscopy also has its limitations, which are highlighted by the lack of depth of field in the images, making it more difficult for surgeons to operate and easy to accidentally damage the surrounding tissues. The development of 3D thoracoscopy has completely compensated for the disadvantages of traditional thoracoscopy. The principle is to imitate the dual-lens imaging technology of the human eye. By wearing polarized light glasses, the surgeon realizes the stereoscopic view of the surgical field, which brings the depth of field. At the same time, the ultra-high resolution lens makes the surgical field clearer and the operation in the thoracic cavity more precise, which improves the quality of surgery and shortens the operation time at the same time. Professor Zang Wangfu commented that 3D thoracoscopic technology is another leap forward in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. At present, our cardiac surgery department has routinely performed a variety of minimally invasive cardiac surgeries with the assistance of thoracoscopy, such as minimally invasive precordial disease correction, minimally invasive valve formation and replacement, minimally invasive non-stop coronary artery bypass and minimally invasive atrial fibrillation ablation. It will greatly promote the development of minimally invasive cardiac surgery technology and ultimately benefit patients.