Maze surgery is done to correct atrial fibrillation (Afib). This is a condition that interrupts your heart's electrical system and causes the upper chambers (i.e. atria) to beat too quickly. The chambers fibrillate rapidly, which prevents them from emptying blood into the ventricles below. Abnormal electrical impulses also cause the ventricles to beat too quickly (though slower than the atria), which prevents them from filling completely with blood. As a result, your body receives less blood than normal.

There are a number of potential side effects, including weakness and fatigue, pain in the chest area, and breathing difficulties. What's more, Afib can cause blood to collect within the left atria, leading to blood clots.

If medications are unable to control the fibrillating atria, Maze surgery can be performed. During the procedure, scar tissue is created in the upper chambers to act as a conduction block for the disorganized electrical impulses. Depending on the circumstances, the surgery may be done as an open-heart procedure or through a minimally invasive approach. In the latter case, the entire operation can be finished in less than three hours.

Recovering From Surgery In The Hospital

Immediately following Maze surgery, you are placed into an intensive care unit (ICU) to recover. You'll remain there for one or two days while your doctor and nurses monitor your progress. During this time, you'll be connected to a heart monitor, ventilator, and a breathing tube, which is typically removed after several hours.

From the ICU, you'll be transferred into a regular recovery ward. Your health care team will encourage you to begin walking as quickly as possible to start exercising your heart. Over the next few days, you'll be given details regarding your diet, recovery, and exercise routine at home. Wound care will also be explained to you to ensure the entry site does not become infected. Most patients are typically released on the fourth or fifth day to complete their recovery at home.

Aftercare At Home

Prior to leaving the hospital, your doctor may prescribe one or more medications, such as calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers. The purpose of these drugs is to help control your heart rate. You might also receive a diuretic in the event fluid retention occurred following Maze surgery. If there is a likelihood of developing blood clots, your doctor will prescribe anticoagulant drugs for use at home.

Keeping the incision site clean during your at-home recovery is important in order to stave off infection. This can be accomplished with warm water and soap.

Because lifestyle changes are important for a prompt, full recovery, your physician will encourage you to follow a healthy diet. He may also suggest that you enroll into a cardiac rehabilitation program. Lastly, if you smoke, you will be encouraged to quit.

Most patients can expect to return to their jobs within three or four weeks after the Maze procedure. If your job involves work that is physically demanding, you may need to wait nine or ten weeks. Exercising and enrollment into a heart rehabilitation program usually accelerate the pace of recovery.

Are There Risks Involved With The Operation?

There are a few risks involved with Maze surgery, though complications rarely appear. As with all types of surgical procedures, there is a risk of bleeding and infection. Also, if clots exist within your left atrium or ventricle at the time surgery is performed, there is a small chance they can travel to your brain. If they do, they can cause a stroke.

As suggested earlier, some patients experience fluid retention after the operation. This is easily managed with diuretics, which your doctor will prescribe upon your release from the hospital (if necessary).

Maze surgery is an effective solution for atrial fibrillation. In cases where Afib returns following the procedure, it can usually be controlled with medications.