Maze and Mini-Maze Surgery
Treatment options for Atrial fibrillation include medication to slow the
heart, medication to maintain normal rhythm, catheter ablation to restore normal rhythm, or surgery to restore normal
rhythm. Of all of these choices, surgery represents the highest cure rate (approximately 90-95%) and the lowest risk
of future stroke, due to the removal of the atrial appendage, which is the structure than leads to clot formation and stroke.
Surgery has traditionally been performed by a sternotomy incision (mid chest
open heart surgery). Because of the invasiveness of the procedure, this is usually only done as an "add-on
therapy" to open heart surgery for bypass or valve surgery.
The Maze procedure is named for the technique that cuts and sews the heart
back together in a pattern like a maze, in order to channel the electrical current into one correct pathway. This procedure
was developed by Dr. Cox, and has undergone multiple changes over the years.
The Mini-Maze surgery is named because of the minimally invasive approach
through the rib spaces, rather that opening the chest. This procedure is done with the heart beating, and offers similar
cure rates (90%). The chance of cure is much higher in the earlier stages of atrial fibrillation, rather than once the
heart has been out of normal rhythm for years at a time.
| Mini Maze Incisions |
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