Minimaze Surgical Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrillation is a very common heart condition caused by a malfunction of the heart's electrical conduction system. This malfunction causes the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, to contract in an uncoordinated manner resulting in an irregular, and often fast, heartbeat. Atrial Fibrillation is a serious condition and is a major cause of stroke. One surgical option for treating Atrial Fibrillation is a minimally invasive procedure called Mini-Maze. The Mini-Maze surgery can potentially cure Atrial Fibrillation by blocking the abnormal electrical impulses through the creation of scar tissue. The scar tissue creates a maze-like pathway for the electrical impulses to travel. Because the impulses cannot travel over scar tissue this surgery promotes normal conduction of impulses through the proper pathway. Mini-Maze surgery was developed to cure Atrial fibrillation without the need for open-heart surgery and without placing the patient on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine. It is performed through tiny incisions between the ribs with the heart still beating.

Your Practice Online's 3D video of Minimaze Surgical Ablation explains Atrial Fibrillation and the minimally invasive surgery to treat the condition through the use of text, voice, images, and 3D animation. Patients are instructed on normal heart anatomy, symptoms and risk factors of Atrial Fibrillation, as well as the medical tests used to diagnose the disease. Conservative treatment measures of Atrial Fibrillation are discussed including lifestyle changes and various medications. 3D surgical animations enable patients to visually understand what is involved with minimaze surgical ablation. Post operative care and risks and complications are also explained to ensure the patient is able to make an informed decision.

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