A-Fib

[Banders]

my husband had a pacemaker implanted 6 years ago and started a variety of heart medications.  In august, he underwent open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve and one bypass (that the doctor felt would be blocked in several more years)  a maze procedure was also done at the time of his surgery.  My husband had been FREE of A-Fib for the 6 years prior to this surgery. He has 3 wires into his heart and for the 6 years, the pace was set low.  After the surgery, the rate was turned up to 79.  He was taken off Amioderone.  All of the monitoring and echos didn't not reveal that he was in A-Fib.  When he goes to his local doctor and has the pace-maker lab technician monitor the pace-maker, he receives a report that he has been in A-Fib since the open heart surgery.  Is this so "slight" that the other doctors never pick it up?  He also went through 36 sessions of heart-rehab after the surgery...monitored constantly.  Would he need the cardioversion to be done?......or put back or that Amioderone?  It's too bad they did that maze procedure that is suppose to prevent A-Fib and it has no effect?   His ejection fraction is 16 -21%....his most common symtom these days is being out of breath regularly.  I'm sure the pace-maker computer doesn't lie, but is the A-Fib so weak that no one else detects it?  but is it just as dangerous?  and is it just wearing out his heart more?

[Jerry_NJ]

There's a lot in your post, I'll hit a few items I have some experience with.

The Maze procedure is specifically designed to stop AFib, not to prevent it.  I had a Maze procedure done when my Mitral Valve was repaired, I had AFib going into surgery.  The Maze did not cure the AFib.  My surgeon gave the Maze procedure a 60% chance of stopping my AFib.  The effectiveness depends on the condition of the heart, my is enlarged, not good for fixing AFib.

The ejection fraction of 16-21% is very low in my understanding of that measure, and that is most likely why he is short of breath, blood pumping is very inefficient.

Some (many or even most) people have AFib now and then, not all the time. So, unless one is on a 24 hour monitor people with intermittent AFib may not have it detected simply because their heart is not in AFib when they are being checked.

If your husband is not on an anticoagulant I suggest you discuss that with his doctor.  The main concern with AFib is it increased the chance of having a stroke.  Some people can get by with just taking an aspirin, much better if that's enough.  I think it is not in the case of your husband.

Hope the above is of some help.

[banglamom]

I rather wanted to get a Maze done but the doc said it probably would not help and would be an awfully big precedure to go through without more hope of it being promising.  The more I hear about them, I guess I'm glad I didn't go down that road.  I would just like them to do something that lets me walk away from all the meds.  

[zzzack]

In 08 I has an aortic valve replaced and also had a Maze Procedure, done in Dallas. The maze procedure was not successful. Keep in mind my AFIB started in 1998 so it was 10 years before I addressed it. I eventually had 2 Cardioversions and two ablations the most current one being successful for 3 months. I was lucky that the most current ablation was done by Dr.Natale, a leader in the field, here in Austin. I am now AFIB Free> I am being monitored.  I do recognize that the procedures that I recently had will arrest AFIB and not cure it unless I'm lucky