Full-MAZE

Full-MAZE

This surgery is for patients who are in persistent A-fib. The chest is opened through a chest incision called a sternotomy. A full atrial fibrillation Maze procedure involves all the components of the Mini Maze, including more extensive lesions to ablate and scar the extra pathways involved in persistent A-fib and even atrial flutter. The full Maze procedure involves surgical incisions and radio frequency energy source and cryo to freeze the tissue, creating a ‘maze’ in the heart. Afterward, the electrical impulse of the heart can only travel down one pathway thus restoring a normal rhythm in the heart. The left atrial appendage is excluded just as is in the Mini Maze. 
This procedure takes 3-4 hours and entails 2-3 days in the hospital. Patients should expect a 4-6 week recovery period.