Mini maze surgery for afib

[dharkan75]

Read about Randall wolf's new technique of MiniMaze with excision of left atrial apendage If it is the same procedure, I would like to know where, which hospital provides this treatment in England?'

[BobD Volunteer]

None in England. USA and Japan at present. Mummylove has more info on similar.

[Chrissy7]

I also was intrigued by the Mini Maze...and since I couldn't get an ablation, reached out to Dr. Bisleri who performs this procedure in Toronto Canada. (leave it to me to try to "circumvent' they system

I was lucky enough to have an online "consult" with Dr. Bisleri. He told me that I would need to have "two failed ablations" in order to be a candidate for the Mini Maze procedure with him in Toronto, but after reviewing my case, he said that he "would do it" if I had another "failed" ablation (one was just an ablation study, but technically, since they were looking to fix that side of the heart, and didn't find anything, I'm thinking he may accept it as a failed procedure.)

The mini maze sounds incredible, however, I waited 3 years for ablation, so wondering how long the waiting list is for Mini Maze in Canada.

I think here, since the procedure is new and not well-known, it is probably not something many will be seeking...

thanks to MummyLuv, as I have read all her posts and they are so encouraging!!

[waveylines]

Can't comment on that specific mini maze but here in England Sheffield Northern General Hospital do do mini maze on the NHS with left appendage removal. There is only one surgeon there that does it. His name is Mr Hunter.I'm waiting for that particular op with Mr Hunter. I was referred by my EP.

I believe there are couple of others around the UK but I don't know about them. Mummyluv or 4Chickens has the most info on this.

[dharkan75 in reply to waveylines]

Many thanks. I will try to contact them

[Ducky2003 in reply to dharkan75]

Other lady is 4chickens

[Chrissy7 in reply to Ducky2003]

I can't find the post but BobD I thought said they didn't do mini maze in England? Bob, are you here?

[Ducky2003 in reply to Chrissy7]

I think you meant to address this reply to BobD

[Chrissy7 in reply to Ducky2003]

i was wrong… sorry Bob I di t think you said that

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Chrissy7]

As far as I know, the Wolfe maze is only done by Dr Wolfe in USA and A N other in Japan. There are other procedures but apparently not the same.

[Chrissy7 in reply to BobD]

Got it Bob, they clarified that there are differences in tequnique with different types of mini maze...I am wondering what type of mini maze Dr. Bisleri does here in Toronto, Canada...will have to check into that...

[ozziebob in reply to waveylines]

Chickenliken? Good guess but no cigar!

Sounds like a chain of chicken fast food outlets ... horrible. 🤔

As mentioned by others, the name you were looking for is 4chickens.

[waveylines in reply to ozziebob]

🤣😊 Yes your spot on. I did amend my post when I realised....lol...It made me chuckle. Actually the name reminded me of children's story.... much nicer image!!

Hope 4chickens will forgive my slip up.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to ozziebob]

Dont forget your hard hat.

[ozziebob in reply to BobD]

Qué? Hard hat? You have me stumped! And that reminds me of that beautiful recent stumping of the English wicketkeeper, and the ensuing hypocrisy.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to ozziebob]

Chicken likken thought the sky was falling down. When US Skylab satellite was degrading and falling out of orbit many years ago a firm was set up called Chickenlikken Enterprises to handle insurance claims by people who may have been hit by debris. None were.! Must be an age thing. lol

[ozziebob in reply to BobD]

Interesting about the Skylab link. I read chickenliken as chicken liking, which led to my chain of chicken fast food outlets, probably because my childhood was sadly abysmally lacking in all children's stories, so missed your chickenlik(k)en reference. 🤔

[Ducky2003 in reply to BobD]

I thought it was Turkeylurkey who thought the sky was falling? 🤔

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Ducky2003]

The Skylab bit is true honest so no.

[Ducky2003 in reply to BobD]

Just Googled. It was Chicken Licken but he told Turkey Lurky, amongst other rhyming animals ......... I've too much time on my hands 🤣🤣🤣.

[mjames1]

Some confusion because "Wolf Mini Maze" (WMM) and Mini Maze are basically the same thing, but one of Dr. Wolf's patients started using the term WMM and it stuck. So not everyone might know the term WMM. It is available in the UK and MummyLuv had it so she should know where.

Jim

[Goosebumps in reply to mjames1]

I think you do Dr Wolf a disservice. The Wolf Mini Maze IS different and is named after Doctor Wolf who invented an ablating clamp that goes around the pulmonary veins and ablates in a single line continuum He does not actually perform a maze on the back of the heart at all so the procedure’s title is misleading in that respect.

The only other surgeon to my knowledge that uses this clamping tool is Dr Ohtsuka in Japan who was trained by Dr Wolf, so his procedure is based on the WMM but called the Wolf Ohtsuka Procedure. Dr Ohtsuka does also do a maze as well sometimes in addition because the ablating clamp alone does not suit all patients he treats.

Dr Wolf was also instrumental in inventing the Atriclip, which closes off the left atrial appendage during the operation. This is also a clamp, used by surgeons in many countries.

I haven’t had this procedure so I can’t claim first hand experience but maybe one of the patients on this forum who has had this procedure will step forward and correct me if I am wrong.

[Poochmom in reply to Goosebumps]

thank you for this reply. The Wolf MiniMaze IS different from others. Some of them are hybrid, some don’t ablate the ganglionic plexi, etc. the WMM is unique!!

[Goosebumps in reply to mjames1]

thank you for modifying your original post and removing your subsequent reply to mine.

[jeanjeannie50]

MummyLuv can you help please?

Jean

[MummyLuv in reply to jeanjeannie50]

thanks for the tag 😍

[Brandue]

I'm going to get the Wolf Mini Maze in September. I've had 2 failed ablations and have proximal AF. I get an episode every 3 weeks and they last Between 1 hour up to 12. I figure this is my last hope at ridding myself of this horrible thing. I like Dr. Wolf and his approach to dealing with afib. I'm 61 and in good shape and I believe this is my best option. I would never get another Cath Ablation again. I hear to many failed experiences. Probably because the successful ones just move on with their lives and try to forget it.

[waveylines in reply to Brandue]

Mr Hunter told me he has a 90% success rate. Catheter ablation is 66%. Guess that's why with the latter may have to go back more than once.I was told because my Afib is atypical there is a chance they may have to mop up with a catheter ablation afterwards. Most can be got by a minimaze in one go, unlike catheter ablation. Mummyluv will know the technicals. You can always pm her. I'm taking this royte because my EP says I'm not suitable for a catheter ablation..

[Poochmom in reply to waveylines]

my understanding is atypical flutter is on the left side, and typical flutter is on the right so the MiniMaze should take care of the atypical flutter if that is what you have

[waveylines in reply to Poochmom]

Thanks Poochmon.

[dharkan75 in reply to Brandue]

Wish you the bestof luck and a successful surgery

[Brandue in reply to dharkan75]

Thank you

[Chrissy7 in reply to Brandue]

good luck to you!

Will be interested to hear your story

[Poochmom in reply to Brandue]

and that is the reason I had the WMM instead of any ablations. Too many failed ablations and I am not a fan of burning up the inside of the heart.

[MummyLuv]

hello, the WMM is a surgical ablation without the maze on the back of the heart (although this can be done certainly by the surgeon doing WMM in Japan where it is thought to be needed).

Mini maze, convergent and hybrid are all done in the UK but by only a few surgeons. Where are you based?

[dharkan75 in reply to MummyLuv]

Leicester

[MummyLuv in reply to dharkan75]

so Mr Hunter at Northern General in Sheffield, a few of us on here have had mini maze or covergent. He also operated privately at Harley street. Csingicsong is having convergent on NHS in London and I am sure will be happy to share the surgeons name there