RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Maze procedure: surgical therapy for refractory atrial fibrillation
JF Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
JO Cleve Clin J Med
FD Cleveland Clinic
SP 161
OP 165
VO 60
IS 2
A1 Patrick M. McCarthy
A1 Lon W. Castle
A1 Richard G. Trohman
A1 Tony W. Simmons
A1 James D. Maloney
A1 Allan L. Klein
A1 Richard D. White
A1 James L. Cox
YR 1993
UL http://www.ccjm.org/content/60/2/161.abstract
AB Although atrial fibrillation is well tolerated by most patients, in some patients the consequences may be severe. The Maze procedure is a new open-heart operation that creates a carefully designed maze of incisions in the atrial myocardium; this maze then acts as an electrical conduit to channel atrial impulses from the sinoatrial node to the atrioventricular node. The Maze procedure has been shown to restore sinus rhythm and atrial systole (thus reducing the risk of thromboembolism), improve hemodynamics, alleviate palpitations, and eliminate the need for antiarrhythmic and anticoagulant drugs. We describe our first patient to undergo this operation.