The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) increases considerably the chances of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to identify the major risk factors responsible for POAF after thoracic aortic surgery in order to define preventive measures. ⋯ Several risk factors contribute to the incidence of POAF after thoracic aortic surgery. We found that POAF significantly increased 30-day operative mortality (p < 0.0001). Our findings can be used to develop a risk stratification system for the prediction of POAF.