Atrial Fibrillation Surgery

What’s a Maze process?

The Maze process is a sort of coronary heart surgical procedure used to deal with atrial fibrillation.

The guts has 4 chambers. There are 2 higher chambers known as atria and a couple of decrease chambers known as ventricles. Usually, a specialised group of cells known as the sinoatrial (SA) node within the higher proper chamber of your coronary heart, or the fitting atrium, present the sign to begin your heartbeat. With atrial fibrillation (AFib), the sign to begin the heartbeat doesn’t start within the SA node the best way it ought to. As an alternative, the sign begins elsewhere within the atria. This causes the atria to quiver or fibrillate. The atria can’t contract usually to maneuver blood to the ventricles. The disorganized sign spreads to the ventricles. This causes them to contract irregularly and typically extra shortly than they usually would. The contraction of the atria and the ventricles is now not coordinated. The ventricles might not be capable of pump sufficient blood to the physique.

In a conventional Maze process, the surgeon makes a lot of small cuts within the atrium after which sews them again collectively. The guts’s electrical sign is not capable of cross these cuts. The lower space now stops conducting the irregular indicators that triggered the AFib. This permits the center rhythm to return to regular. Historically, the Maze process is finished as a part of an open coronary heart surgical procedure assisted with a heart-lung machine (cardiopulmonary bypass).

As an alternative of constructing cuts, healthcare suppliers also can use radiofrequency power or cryoablation (freezing of the tissue) to disrupt the irregular indicators. These strategies might enable the surgeon to make use of smaller cuts (incisions) than can be wanted for conventional open coronary heart surgical procedure. Generally the surgeon inserts a digital camera and tiny surgical instruments to do the surgical procedure.

Why may I want a Maze process?

Some folks have disagreeable signs from AFib, like shortness of breath. AFib additionally significantly will increase the danger for stroke. Blood-thinners used for stopping stroke pose their very own dangers. And a few medicines require additional blood exams for monitoring.

Many individuals with AFib take medicines to assist management their coronary heart price or their coronary heart rhythm. Some folks reply properly to those medicines. However others do not. A Maze process is not assured to cease your AFib for good. However it could be an choice for you.

There are different surgical procedures in addition to much less invasive procedures, comparable to ablation, which are additionally choices to regulate AFib. Relying in your well being historical past, chances are you’ll be a greater match for a selected process over one other. Your healthcare supplier can assessment what choices are greatest for you. They might advocate the Maze process you probably have AFib and already want open coronary heart surgical procedure to appropriate one other drawback, comparable to coronary artery illness or a coronary heart valve drawback.

Some folks could possibly cease taking blood-thinner drugs after the Maze process. Ask your healthcare supplier in regards to the professionals and cons of the process in your scenario.

What are the dangers of a Maze process?

Problems are unusual with a Maze process. However they do typically occur. In uncommon circumstances, a few of these could also be deadly. You might have sure dangers based mostly in your well being situations. You are extra more likely to have problems in the event you’re older or you probably have different well being and coronary heart situations. Focus on all of your issues along with your healthcare supplier earlier than your surgical procedure. Dangers can embrace:

• Bleeding

• An infection

• Blood clots, which could result in a stroke or coronary heart assault

• Different irregular coronary heart rhythms

• Kidney failure

• Problems from anesthesia

• Demise

How do I prepare for a Maze process?

Your healthcare supplier will discuss with you about how you can prepare on your upcoming surgical procedure. Bear in mind the next:

• Observe any instructions you are given for not consuming or consuming earlier than surgical procedure.

• Attempt to give up smoking earlier than your process. Ask your healthcare supplier about methods that may assist you to give up smoking.

• You could have to cease taking sure medicines comparable to warfarin earlier than your surgical procedure. Observe your supplier’s directions about which medicines ought to be stopped and when.

You could want some routine exams earlier than the process to evaluate your well being earlier than surgical procedure. These might embrace:

• Chest X-ray

• Electrocardiogram (ECG), to evaluate the center rhythm

• Blood exams

• Echocardiogram (echo), to evaluate coronary heart construction and performance

If wanted, somebody might shave your pores and skin above the realm of the surgical procedure. About 1 hour earlier than the process, somebody might offer you medicines that can assist you loosen up.

What occurs throughout a Maze process?

Speak along with your healthcare supplier about what to anticipate about your Maze process. Under is a common description of the normal Maze surgical procedure. However your healthcare supplier might plan a much less invasive process. As a result of the Maze process is commonly finished in folks needing coronary heart surgical procedure for an additional purpose, the surgical course of could also be totally different. Throughout a typical open-heart Maze process:

• A healthcare supplier provides you with anesthesia earlier than the surgical procedure begins. This may trigger you to sleep deeply and painlessly through the operation. Afterward, you received’t keep in mind the operation.

• The surgical procedure will take a number of hours. Your surgeon will make an incision down the center of your chest and separate your breastbone.

• The surgical procedure workforce will join you to a heart-lung machine. This machine will act as your coronary heart and lungs through the process.

• Your surgeon will make a number of cuts via the atria after which sew them again collectively. Or your surgeon may use radiofrequency power or one other power supply to destroy small areas of tissue.

• As soon as full, the surgical procedure workforce will take away the heart-lung machine.

• The workforce will join your breastbone again collectively.

• The workforce will then shut the incision in your pores and skin utilizing stitches or staples.

What occurs after a Maze process?

Subsequent steps

Earlier than you conform to the take a look at or the process be sure you know:

• The title of the take a look at or process

• The rationale you might be having the take a look at or process

• What outcomes to anticipate and what they imply

• The dangers and advantages of the take a look at or process

• What the attainable unwanted side effects or problems are

• When and the place you might be to have the take a look at or process

• Who will do the take a look at or process and what that particular person’s {qualifications} are

• What would  occur in the event you didn’t have the take a look at or process

• Any various exams or procedures to consider

• When and the way you’ll get the outcomes

• Who to name after the take a look at or process you probably have questions or issues

• How a lot you’ll have to pay for the take a look at or process