Minimally invasive wolf maze

[HatsOn]

Hi - does anyone know if Dr Wolf (USA) has trained any UK EP/doctor in the above procedure, which is a variant of the coxmaze procedure? I have had three failed ablations and am at the end of my tether with it all especially the meds. Thanks.

[Hidden]

How discouraging, I hope you find relief. I cannot answer your question but I was very intrigued about the procedure when I listened to Dr Wolf speak at the recent AF Conference here in the states.

[HatsOn in reply to Hidden]

Yes me too. I listened to it via the link. I have emailed them but not heard anything so I may give them a ring. I am getting desperate Thanks for your response.

[Hidden in reply to HatsOn]

I was going to suggest that you asked if any USA members could contact Dr Wolf and ask the question.......

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Or maybe contact the AF Association direct as they may be able to find out for you....

[HatsOn in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Flapjack - there was a phone number for Dr Wolf on the presentation which I stupidly didn't take a note of so I'll revisit the link and probably ring this week.

[Bambi65 in reply to HatsOn]

Call and ask for Kimberly. She is Dr. Wolfs nurse and tell her Bambi sent you. 713-441-6290

[Barb1]

Very interesting. Please keep us updated

[HatsOn in reply to Barb1]

Will do.

[Mike11]

Not trying to depress you but remember maze procedures sometimes fail as well. I had the full Cox Maze 3 whilst my chest was open for a quad heart bypass and although I had never had AF previously there was familial AF and the stress of open heart surgery can trigger AF. But sure enough signs of AF started appearing a few months later during recovery from the op and led eventually to me having a cryoablation which has been 99% successful - just bouts of AF when I catch flu or other infections and my heart swells.

Best bet might be to try phoning BMI (bmihealthcare.co.uk/) and see if they have any consultants on their lists who offer the procedure. I think it's usually called Mini Maze rather than Wolf maze over here. Then arrange a £150 private appointment with one that does and see if they'll do it on the NHS, which will only then need a GP referral, or pay around £25k.

[HatsOn in reply to Mike11]

Hi Mike11

I've followed the progress of the Cox Maze since its inception many years ago. As far as I can ascertain, a couple of specialists offer this in the UK. However, as you noted, it's not always successful. After watching Dr Wolf's presentation via link, I was impressed with the stats. He has trained specialists all over US and some in Europe as I understand it, in his version of the Maze appears to offer better results than the Cox and is minimally invasive. After 3 ablations, I'm not really interested in having an open/bypass procedure. Though I understand everything in afib is debatable, after 20 years of living with it, I feel I need to reach out to anything which might help me. I have a great EP but he doesn't seem to want to engage in any 'minimally invasive' conversations but has offered an open procedure - not the Maze but something else, which is not great on results.

So, the question I put out there was really to see if anyone knew if Dr Wolf had trained any UK specialists in his procedure. My next step is probably going to be a phone call if I can't find anyone in the UK who does it.

By the way, Paul Modi, who is I think at a Liverpool Hospital, does the Cox Maze IV and charges around £15k though it's a while since I looked at the website so anyone interested please check with that.

[Mike11 in reply to HatsOn]

Ok. I'd still phone BMI Healthcare and ask them to go through their lists as there is probably somebody in the UK who can do it.

[HatsOn in reply to Mike11]

Thanks

[Bambi65 in reply to HatsOn]

its open chest!

[dave205]

Here is Dr. Wolfs address and phone number.

6400 Fannin Suite 2350.29

Houston, Texas, 77030

[phone]

[HatsOn in reply to dave205]

Wow thanks so much Dave205.

[johnMiosh]

I had this done as part of a clinical trial in Sheffield by Stephen Hunter. I did not check who originally trained him, but he has a very lengthy history of surgical ablations. I was concerned that his experience of the mini-maze may have a bearing on success in the same way as catheter ablations. I found a useful report Guezebrook et al (2015) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The paper suggested that the procedure was very effective with 82% not experiencing more than 30 seconds of AF after one year and 90% were either drug free or only on anticoagulant. Unlike catheter ablation, the success rate appears not to be affected by the experience of the surgeon; cardiologists new to arrhythmia are expected to achieve the same success rate, although they will be much slower in performing the procedure.

[Bambi65 in reply to johnMiosh]

Dr. Wolf's mini maze is 95%, one time and done. No anticoagulants, not rate or rythem meds. recovery is 3 days and your walking around Texas looking for a good place to eat. Check the WMM site on Facebook. There are people there that have just had the procedure so your getting real time information. He does 3 surgeries a week.

[Fussyface]

Hi

I had a surgical ablation and isolation of the left atrial appendage in March 2015, by Mr Mediratta via Paul Modi at the Liverpool heart and chest after 2 failed PVI ablations. It was a new proceedure and done with the assistance of a tutor from London. It was also a trial in conjunction with another hospital, which provided the funding, I'm not sure if it's still available on the NHS. It was done through 3 incisions between both sides of my ribs, my lungs were deflated separately, but my heart was beating, so didn't need heart lung bypass. It took some months to recover, but I am AF and drug free, not even anti coag's. It certainly gave me my life back as I was very symptomatic and am unable to take many of the cardiac drugs available. Mr Mediratta is still at the hospital, I've just checked, hope you can sort something, good luck

Chris

[Kaz747 in reply to Fussyface]

Hi Chris, were you having any other heart procedure with this? I’ve read that often they’ll do a surgical ablation when doing another open heart surgery such as a valve repair.

[HatsOn in reply to Fussyface]

Thanks for info I'll look into it

[Bambi65 in reply to HatsOn]

There have been many people that have flown into Texas from all over the world to have this procedure done. Check with Kimberly if this is possible for you also

[Fussyface]

No, I just had very stubborn, troublesome AF, that was n't under control with any of the usual medication

[Kaz747 in reply to Fussyface]

Thanks. I’ve just had my third ablation and so we’ll see in time if this has worked (so far, not so good). I have multiple aggressive arrhythmias which haven’t been successfully controlled by drugs.

[Bambi65]

dont know if you have done this yet but here is another source of info on facebook. facebook.com/groups/4129396...