How is maze procedure done

Atrial fibrillation AFib is the most common type of arrhythmia in the United States. Learn more about this condition, including causes and symptoms….

According to a new study, people who work night shifts have a 12 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation AFib , an irregular heart rate, compared…. New research from the U. Those who practice…. Avoiding or limiting certain foods can reduce the risk of an AFib episode. Take care to sidestep these food items if you live with the condition. New guidelines are recommending newer drugs due to concerns over potential severe bleeding from warfarin use.

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is an irregular heartbeat arrhythmia that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.

Goal Preparation Open-chest maze Mini-maze Cryomaze Recovery Success rates Atrial fibrillation defined Atrial fibrillation, often abbreviated as AFib, is a condition in which your normal heartbeat is changed. The goal of maze surgery. Preparing for surgery. Open-chest maze surgery. Mini-maze procedure. Your cardiologist will recommend Maze surgery if AF cannot be treated with medicines or other treatments.

The operation will be scheduled at a time that is best for you and your surgeon, except in urgent cases. Be sure to tell your surgeon and cardiologist about any changes in your health including symptoms of a cold or the flu.

Any infection may affect your recovery. Also, review all medications prescription as well as over-the-counter and supplements with your cardiologist and surgeon. Before surgery, you may have to have an electrocardiogram ECG or EKG [no link], blood tests, urine tests, and a chest x-ray to give your surgeon the latest information about your health.

If you smoke, your doctor will want you to stop at least 2 weeks before your surgery. Smoking before surgery can lead to problems with blood clotting and breathing. The night before surgery, you will be asked to bathe to reduce the amount of germs on your skin.

A medicine anesthetic will make you sleep during the operation. If you do eat or drink anything after midnight, it is important that you tell your anesthesiologist and surgeon. You will get complete instructions from your cardiologist and surgeon about the procedure, but here are some basics you can expect as a patient.

Most patients are admitted to the hospital the day before surgery or, in some cases, on the morning of surgery. Why might I need a Maze procedure for AFib?

How do I get ready for a Maze procedure? To make sure you are healthy enough for this open-heart surgery, you may need some tests: Blood tests Chest X-ray Electrocardiogram, also called an ECG or EKG, to assess the heart rhythm Echocardiogram, or echo, to assess heart structure and function If you are scheduled for a Maze procedure, your surgeon will give you specific instructions, including: Avoid eating or drinking anything after midnight the day of surgery.

Stop smoking before the procedure. Stop taking certain medications beforehand, particularly blood thinners. What happens during a Maze procedure? The surgical team will: Shave the skin where the surgery will occur, if needed. Give you anesthesia so that you sleep deeply and experience no pain during the operation. Make an incision cut down the middle of your chest and separate your breastbone. Connect you to a heart-lung machine cardiopulmonary bypass , which will do the work of your heart and lungs during the procedure.

Use cryoablation to make scar lines in the left and right atria. The surgeon may also close the left atrial appendage. Top of the page.

Surgery Overview The maze procedure is a surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation. What To Expect Recovery from a maze procedure depends on how your surgery was done. Why It Is Done The maze procedure is a surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation. Your doctor may recommend the maze procedure if: footnote 1 You have symptoms of atrial fibrillation, and you are having another heart surgery.

You are having another heart surgery, and adding the maze procedure is not too risky. How Well It Works The maze procedure has good long-term results for treating atrial fibrillation. Risks The risks of the maze procedure are similar to the risks of any heart surgery that uses a heart-lung bypass machine.

Risks include: footnote 3 Bleeding. Heart attack myocardial infarction, or MI. New arrhythmias. Needing to have a pacemaker implanted. About 1 or 2 deaths happen out of surgeries. References Citations Macle L, et al. Canadian Journal of Cardiology , 32 10 : — DOI: Accessed December 27, January CT, et al.