heart maze surgery instead of ablation

[gwanda]

hi has anyone jad the easier version of the heart maze procedure for afib? im going to ohio state university hospital to talk to a dr sarig about this method since a catherer ablation did not work for me. its where they put trwo holes pencil like size on both sides of your body to go in and block off the four parts of the area that can casue afib he says it is safer and more effective thatn regular heart cathere ablation it is more than 90 percent proven to stop afib. you have the procedure it takes about 3-4 hours and they can tell you when you wake up they put you to sleep if it was completely sucessful. then you stay in hospital two days. and you dont have to stay on your back for 6 hours since they dont go in your groin and you are completely mobile he doesnt recommend cathere ablation says its to dangerous can cause scaring of the heart and bleeding. will be off work a few days. i was wondering if anyone has tried this one. thanks gwanda  

[gwanda]

THE PROCEDURE IS CALLED TOTAL THORASCOSPIC MAZE. IM GOING TO OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL TO HAVE IT DONE THE DR IS JOHN SIRAK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ UP ON THIS GO TO THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL PROCEDURES FOR AFIB AND IT SHOULD PULL IT UP FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT. I HAD A CATHERER ABLATION AND IT DIDNT WORK SO I WANT TO TRY THIS ONE  ONCE YOU READ IT YOU MAY WANT TO TRY TOO. GWANDA I DONT KNOW WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN BUT IM IN OHIO BUT IM SURE OTHER HOSPITALS DO THIS PROCEDURE I KNOW JOHN HOPKINS DOES.

[Brooke_38]

Hello...

My Cardiologist mentioned this to me as a treatment option...He refered to it as the "keyhole procedure." This is what I know about it...

The Mini-Maze procedure involves the use of thoracoscopy, whereby a video telescope is inserted into the chest and instruments specially designed for the procedure are inserted via small ports or “keyhole” incisions on the left side of the chest. This means there are only small incisions and no division of bones or spreading of ribs. Surgeons are able to burn lines in the heart, isolating areas where the irregular signal starts. The damaged tissue can no longer conduct electrical impulses, interrupting the transmission of the abnormal signal and allowing the rest of the chamber to resume beating normally. In addition the left atrial appendage, a fingerlike structure where clots form, is removed. This significantly reduces the stroke risk faced by patients on a daily basis.

I wish you the very best of luck for a positive outcome. Please let us know how it goes:)

[Jerry_NJ]

Nice to read about a minimal invasive maze procedure.

I had a "mini-maze" done when I was undergoing open heart surgery for a mitral valve repair.  While I was in sinus for about 30 days following surgery I returned to full-time AFib after that.  Best I can recall my surgeon gave the mini-maze odds more like 60% effective.  

It may be that the maze procedure you are considering combines the maze benefits with the ablation diagnosis benefits to get the odds up to 90%.  Keep us posted.  I have decided against an ablation follow-up to my mini-maze as my AFib is in the left atrium and that requires more aggressive action to get the catheter from the right atrium to the left side.  My ER does not recommend it, thus your procedures is of interest to me as a possible future consideration.  

Would your procedure be at the Cleveland Clinic?  They may have some advanced (robotic) procedures that are not in general available.

Sorry I couldn't give you more direct input, but maybe my experience with the mini-maze is worth discussion with your doctor to get assurances that "his" procedure has better odds than does a direct open heart surgery.