Effect of Venous Cannulation on the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass

Context Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent arrhythmia following coronary artery bypass grafting. POAF is associated with worse outcomes following CABG. In addition, recurrence of AF is associated with longer hospital stay and higher rate of neurological and renal complications compared to a single episode of AF Objective To estimate the proportion of eligible people who are willing to participate, number of participants who drop out of the trial and use the results of this study to inform a larger study. Study Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial. Patients will be blinded to the intervention. Participants: The study population will include 40 patients. Patients admitted to the Jewish General Hospital for elective coronary artery bypass grafting from May 2021 will be included in the study. Patients will be included if they were in sinus rhythm with a HR ≥50 bpm, undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and hemodynamically stable. Patients will be excluded from the study if they meet any of the following criteria: Second or third degree heart block, LVEF \ 47 ml/m2, any degree of tricuspid regurgitation, any degree of right ventricular dysfunction, emergency or minimally invasive operation, concurrent valve operation, history of atrial fibrillation or previous cardiac surgery Study Interventions and Measures Patients will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups according to the venous cannulation technique used during surgery. Group A will undergo cavoatrial cannulation with a 2-stage venous cannula. Group B will undergo bicaval cannulation with snares. Similar surgical methods will be used in all treatment groups . The primary endpoint will be defined as any episode of atrial fibrillation in any participant lasting \>5 minutes in duration or any episode leading to hemodynamic compromise (SBP\<90 mmHg) or causing symptoms (angina or dyspnea). Atrial fibrillatio