Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Options
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, treatment can seem complex and confusing. In many cases, common treatments for AF will reduce or eliminate symptoms for a period of time, but "breakthrough" episodes can make a patient feel very anxious and uneasy about their long-term health and comfort.
Maze surgery has become an increasingly popular treatment option for individuals with certain advanced types of AF. The Ohio State University is one of only a few institutions nationwide where maze surgery is performed via a truly minimally invasive, totally thoracoscopic maze procedure. Dr. John H. Sirak is a recognized innovator in the technique, which has an approximately 90% success rate at 6 months for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation,
a much higher success rate in this patient group than is seen with catheter ablation.
Totally thoracoscopic maze surgery is highly effective in patients with advanced forms of atrial fibrillation.
The procedure is effective against chronic forms of AF in part because it incorporates an extended lesion set and advanced verification techniques that allow the surgeon to test the effectiveness of the surgical procedure in real time. Exclusively at the OSU Ross Heart Hospital, Dr. Sirak is available to share more information for patients across the county who would like to learn about this technique.
