Objective To investigate the surgical treatment of adult secondary atrial septal defect with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 84 patients with adult secondary atrial septal underwent surgical treatment in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2002 through May 2013. There were 31 males and 53 females at mean age of 56.3 (24-72) years. Eleven patients were treated by cardiopulmonary bypass operation with 6 patients by radiofrequency catheter ablation simultaneously. Seventy three patients were implanted with septal defect closure with 52 patients by radiofrequency ablation simultaneously. Rhythm of the heart was detected at the immediate postoperative period, 7 days, 3 months and 6 months after the operation. Results No preoperative death, thoraecotomy and no arrhythmic complications in all the patients no matter with or without RF occurred. In the patients with cardiopulmonary bypass operation, the time of aortic occlusion was 35.21±12.32 min, the cardiopulmonary bypass time was 45.67±16.93 min, and the ICU observation time was 11.87±12.36 hours. In the patients with septal defect closure implanted, ICU observation time was 10.93+13.67 hours. The incidences of atrial fibrillation in the patients with radiofrequency ablation on postoperative 7 days，3 months and 6 months were lower than those in the patients without radiofrequency ablation (P<0.05). Conclusion For adult secondary atrial septal defect patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, no matter cardiopulmonary bypass operation or septal defect closure implanted, radiofrequency ablation at the same time is safety and can reduce incidence of recurrence of atrial fibrillation.