Maze Procedure
The Maze procedure, also sometimes called the Cox-Maze procedure, is a surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is the most common irregular heart rhythm in the United States, and it originates in the atria, or the heart’s upper chambers. With AF, a risk factor for stroke, the electrical signal that normally causes the atria to contract in an orderly fashion circles through the heart muscles in an uncoordinated manner, causing the heart to quiver rapidly.
What is the Maze procedure?
During a minimally invasive Maze procedure, you will be under general anesthesia. Our surgeons deflate the right lung to gain access to your heart; you will breathe through your left lung and a ventilator. Once three small incisions are made in the right side of the chest, a video camera and small instruments are inserted. Through catheters (small, thin tubes), radiofrequency energy is applied in the atria muscle in an intricate “maze” pattern, and scars form when these areas heal. Because scars do not carry electrical signals, they interrupt the conduction of abnormal impulses and allow the heart to return to a regular, coordinated beat. This procedure has an overall success rate of approximately 90 percent – and post-procedure freedom from stroke has been estimated at 99 percent.
What are the advantages of the Maze procedure?
The advantages of minimally invasive Maze are:
- It can cure atrial fibrillation;
- Does so without the invasiveness of the standard surgical method;
- Less recovery time and less risk of complications;
- Many patients require no further treatment and it can remove the need for medications such as blood thinners; and
- It reduces the risk of stroke and blood clots as well as symptoms such as fainting.
The Boston Medical Center difference
At Boston Medical Center, our team of compassionate experts has vast experience in the area of atrial fibrillation treatment, and especially in the Maze procedure. Drawing on our long history of exceptional cardiac services, Boston Medical Center provides quality care in a state-of-the-art environment. One of the pioneers in cardiac surgery, Boston Medical Center is one of the leading programs in the United States. In addition to providing a full range of traditional cardiac surgical treatments, our attention to the most current yet proven techniques and technologies places Boston Medical Center’s Cardiac Surgery program at the leading edge of innovative surgical and minimally invasive treatments.
Your care is our top priority. That’s why we use a collaborative care approach. A highly specialized and expertly skilled group of cardiac surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and surgical nurses work together to ensure that you receive the treatment that’s right for you and a patient experience that is second to none. We partner with you, your cardiologist, and other physicians to provide you with the most advanced and effective cardiac care available in New England.
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