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Hi as anyone had the mini maze ablation heart surgery

P1956 profile image
16 Replies

Looking for. People's experience

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P1956 profile image
P1956
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16 Replies
Paulbounce profile image
Paulbounce

Hi P1956. I think I replied to you on another thread about this one. Forgive me if I did and I'm repeating myself.

I'm really going for this one - basically, I want one. My research shows a number of things.

The success rate of a 'cure' is between 60 - 95%. This depends on a number of things such as how much your heart is enlarged and other factors. However, if you're an ideal candidate a 95% success rate sounds pretty good odds to me. Afterwards, you will likely need 4 to 8 days in hospital. Once you can walk up a flight of stairs you're good to go home and they'll boot you out and give your bed to someone else.

Mr Jenkins at the Papworth hospital is the surgeon who will likely carry out the procedure. After 3 - 6 weeks most people can return to normal activities.

During the maze procedure, a surgeon makes an incision in your chest to access the upper chambers of the heart. The surgeon uses heat (radiofrequency energy), extreme cold (cryothermal energy) or a scalpel to make several precise cuts in the heart tissue. The cuts create a pattern (maze) of lines that eventually scar.

It's now 9.30 pm in the UK. If I had a call now saying we'll do you one tonight I would race up the motorway so fast you wouldn't see me for dust. Remember the road runner cartoon with the Coyote? That would be me.

The first step is to talk to your doctor or cardio and ask to be referred. I'll write an update on the forum when I know which direction my efforts to have one are going in.

Check out Pulsed Field Ablation too.

Paul

P1956 profile image
P1956 in reply toPaulbounce

Thanks

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

Quite a few people on here - notably MummyLuv - but privately. One travelled to Japan quite recently & heard of one through NHS, now I’ve tagged here MummyLuv should see this post. There is a Facebook group which has a lot of information- I’m sure she will come back to you. In the meantime she posted daily so go to her profile and read those posts. She had hers in Sheffield I believe?

ozziebob profile image
ozziebob in reply toCDreamer

I think MummyLuv had the operation in Harley St London, but the doctor was from Sheffield.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer in reply toozziebob

you are of course correct.

MummyLuv profile image
MummyLuv in reply toCDreamer

hello, thanks for the tag and sorry for slow reply. I have no regrets having a mini maze, no afib since the day it was done and I was in constant afib for over 5 years. I’m 9 months out now.

I was in ICU for 24 hours after surgery after all it is heart surgery, 24 hours on ward and home. I was out walking a week later.

If I really excert myself now I can trigger PVCs and I have had 4 bouts of symptomatic bigeminy but no afib or aflutter 😍😍

I researched like mad before having it so have saved links to a load of research, do PM me if you’d like me to send on.

CDreamer profile image
CDreamer

healthunlocked.com/afassoci...

Figbar profile image
Figbar

hi;

I had the wolfminimaze in Houston, Texas Oct. 19, 2022 and have been AFIB free since then.

I’m so grateful.

Quilter43 profile image
Quilter43

Why get that?

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

If you look at the page in a browser there are lots of previous posts about it on the right hand side

Poochmom profile image
Poochmom

I had the Wolf MiniMaze in Houston Texas June 22,2022. Dr Wolf goes in through the sides under your arms and ablates the ganglionic plexi with an RF tool he developed. There are no cuts to the heart. He also clamps the LAA negating the need for blood thinners for AF ever again (97% reduction in stroke risk). I had AF attacks every 5 days when I went and I have been AF free since. Best decision I ever made bar none. Dr Ohtsuka in Japan does the same procedure except he removes the LAA instead of clamping it. Saulger went there a couple months ago. Maybe he will chime in.

P1956 profile image
P1956 in reply toPoochmom

Did u have any ectopic etc after while u heart was healing

Poochmom profile image
Poochmom in reply toP1956

yes I still do get them occasionally at least what I think that is but my Kardia 6 lead never shows it up as ectopics just NSR 🤷‍♀️. I do get an occasional skipped beat also.

A couple times I’ve gotten where it feels like it wants to go into AFib but never does stops after about 4 beats. I told this to Dr Wolf and I said I guess that’s the whole point and he said exactly that’s the whole Point. He’s so great.

P1956 profile image
P1956 in reply toPoochmom

Does it make u feel crap when it happens

P1956 profile image
P1956 in reply toPoochmom

I take it must be hard not to get anxious

Poochmom profile image
Poochmom

No I don’t get anxious because I know it doesn’t go to AFib. No it doesn’t make me feel like crap because it’s short lived. Even with the like skipped beats and stuff I know it’s gonna end. I drove myself crazy one night trying to get my Kardia to say ectopics because I wanted to know what kind they were and could never get it to record them. It always said NSR even though I have 6L and the monthly monitoring. 🤷‍♀️. And now I’ve misplaced my Kardia. So I guess I’m not suppose to use it 😏

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