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Saint Thomas Heart

Surgical Ablation

  • MAZE procedure - One option for the ablation of Afib is a procedure called the MAZE procedure that involves creating lines of scar tissue on the outside of the heart. This procedure typically involves an open chest procedure and is often done in patients with Afib who are already undergoing open heart surgery for other reasons.
    There are also stand-alone, less invasive treatment options available with our CV surgeons.
  • Convergent MAZE procedure - A different version of the MAZE procedure is called the Convergent MAZE procedure- typically done in two separate procedures, the first procedure is performed by a heart surgeon. It involves going under the ribs, into the sack around the heart, and ablating the back wall of the heart. At a second procedure, the EP cardiologist then performs a traditional AF ablation and makes sure there are no areas along the back wall that need to be touched up. This option is more commonly used for patients with long standing Afib or with significant enlargement of the upper chambers of the heart.
  • Minimally Invasive and Robotic Maze