Memorial Cardiac & Vascular Institute
Maze Procedure
Procedure Overview
What is the maze procedure?
The maze procedure is a treatment for atrial fibrillation, one of the more common types of cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). The basic principle behind the procedure is the deliberate creation of scar tissue along a carefully planned route. Because scar tissue is electrically nonconductive, it can be used to redirect the path of the electrical activity so it no longer causes the atrial fibrillation.
What happens during the procedure?
The maze procedure is nearly always performed as an open heart operation. It is frequently performed in conjunction with coronary bypass or other open heart surgery procedures.
To create the scar tissue, the surgeon will use incisions, microwaves, ultrasound, radio waves or freezing cold.
Future Innovations
The maze procedure has been shown to correct atrial fibrillation in a very high percentage of patients. However, the highly invasive nature of any open heart procedure naturally requires several months of recovery. Researchers are now trying to perfect a catheter-based method of performing the maze procedure that will be just as effective but less invasive than the open heart method.
Online Resources
The content provided here is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your physician. Please consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
This page contains links to other websites with information about this procedure and related health conditions. We hope you find these sites helpful, but please remember we do not control or endorse the information presented on these websites, nor do these sites endorse the information contained here.
- American College of Cardiology
- American Heart Association
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Library of Medicine
- Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Click here to view the Online Resources of Heart Center.
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