Some patients develop atrial fibrillation after any type of surgery, some 
patients develop atrial fibrillation only after cardiac surgery, and still other 
patients never develop postoperative atrial fibrillation. Despite the inherent 
difficulty in identifying the causes of postoperative atrial fibrillation, 
several important observations have been made during the recent past that may 
play a role in treating or even preventing this common and serious postoperative 
problem. This communication provides a framework within which the problem of 
postoperative atrial fibrillation can be evaluated and treated.