The surgical technique of the convergent procedure.

The convergent procedure is a newly developed hybrid ablation procedure that involves extensive epicardial ablation of the posterior left atrial wall followed by endocardial mapping and addition of pulmonary vein isolation. It is a team-based approach that provides a promising option for patients with persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation. In this manuscript, we present a detailed description of the surgical component of this procedure and include potential pitfalls based on our experience in performing it.