Atrial Fibrillation - Surgery
The maze procedure, a surgery to correct atrial fibrillation, may be an option. Usually medicines and catheter ablation are tried before surgery is considered. But you may be a candidate for this surgery, especially if you are already having heart surgery for another reason, such as mitral valve replacement or coronary artery bypass surgery. If this is the case, the maze procedure can be done at the same time.
The maze procedure involves creating scar tissue that blocks excess electrical impulses from traveling through your heart. It usually requires open-heart surgery, but less invasive surgical methods are being developed.
Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Disease
The heart has four areas, or chambers. During each heartbeat, the two uppers chambers (atria) contract, followed by the two lower chambers (ventricles). This action is directed by the heart's electrical system. The electrical impulse begins in an area called the sinus node, located in the upper part of the right atrium. When the sinus node fires, an impulse of electrical activity spreads through the right and left atria, causing them to contract, forcing blood into the ventricles. Then the electrical...
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