Maze Surgery Articles

The Five-Box Thoracoscopic Maze Procedure

In this article from the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. John Sirak and fellow researchers discuss in depth a totally thoracoscopic procedure that achieves a more complete replication of the original left atrial Cox Maze lesion set. The authors conclude that this technique results in an operation with efficacy approximating the Cox Maze benchmark, with the added benefit of a minimally invasive approach. WARNING: This document contains graphic images of an actual surgical procedure.

Five-Box Thoracoscopic Maze Study Fact Sheet

Dr. John Sirak and fellow researchers published this description of a recent study of patients with persistent AF treated using the five-box thoracoscopic maze procedure. The study found that 91% of patients in the study maintained normal sinus rhythm after 6 months – a success rate much higher than that seen with other current treatment options for this patient group. WARNING: This document contains graphic images of an actual surgical procedure.

Toward a Definitive, Totally Thoracoscopic Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation

In this journal article from the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Sirak and several other researchers detail the five-box thoracoscopic maze surgery technique for treatment of atrial fibrillation. In addition to discussions of the technology and technique, the article offers detailed full-color illustrations of select surgical steps and an overview of clinical study results. Of the 24 patients 6 months out from their operation, 21 (87.5 %) continued to be in sinus rhythm, and none of these 21 patients are on any anti-arrhythmic therapy other than a low-dose beta-blocker.