Maze Treatment Options

Surgery
The Maze procedure is a surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation. The name of this procedure is based on the concept of a puzzle. During the Maze procedure, several tiny incisions are made in both the atria (top chambers of the heart) to prevent and stop the abnormal electrica activity. These incisions create barriers, allowing for only one major route for an electrical impulse to travel from the top to the bottom of the heart. The procedure takes approximately three hours and is performed under general anesthesia, and patients may, or may not, be placed on the heart-lung machine.

As the heart begins to heal, scar tissue develops, preventing the once chaotic electrical activity that caused the atrial fibrillation. Now, the electrical flow is directed down a normal pathway, from the top of the heart to the bottom. The atria no longer fibrillate and the normal heart rhythm is restored.

The benefit of the Maze procedure compared to other options is it helps correct all three problems associated with atrial fibrillation. The Maze procedure corrects the abnormal heart rhythm; restores the movements between the atria (upper chambers of the heart) and the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart); and protects the normal contraction of the heart.Some patients are candidates for minimally invasive approaches and alternative techniques such as radio- frequency (microwave energy) or cryoablation (freezing), which reduces the number of incisions made in the heart. Consult your physician to determine if these options are appropriate for you.

Medications

There are a variety of prescription medications available to treat atrial fibrillation. Current medical therapy includes:

• Beta blockers

• Calcium channel blockers

• Anti-arrhythmia drugs

• Blood thinners
  

Implanted Devices

Pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators are implanted devices to help keep the heart in a normal rhythm.

Cardiac Procedures

Cardiac resynchronization therapy
Ccatheter ablation