Maze Procedure

Before the Maze Procedure, patients with an irregular heartbeat due to atrial fibrillation (AF) had little hope for a cure. Today, one Maze Procedure can control AF for the rest of a patient’s life.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes a rapid, irregular heartbeat because of a faulty electrical system in the heart. Although many people live for years with AF, we now know that chronic atrial fibrillation can cause:

• Stroke: Because the atria are beating rapidly and irregularly, blood flow slows down, which increases the risk of clots. If the heart pumps a clot to the brain, a patient can have a stroke. Atrial fibrillation patients are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke than the general population.
• Kidney, Heart and Intestinal Damage: Blood clots can travel to other parts of the body, causing damage to the kidneys, heart and intestines.
• Congestive Heart Failure: Atrial fibrillation can also decrease the heart's pumping ability by as much as 20 to 30 percent, resulting in congestive heart failure.
• Death: Chronic atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of death.

The Maze Procedure cures atrial fibrillation by interrupting irregular electrical patterns. The procedure creates a maze within the heart so the electrical impulse travels only along a specific route. This stops the irregular heartbeat and restores proper heart rhythm.

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About the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence

At Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, our heart specialists deliver compassionate patient care using leading-edge procedures, to patients living throughout the San Francisco East Bay area. While our cardiac services are located in Berkeley and Oakland, patients come to our heart center from Hayward, Pleasanton, Lafayette, and other East Bay communities as well as from greater California and the United States to seek the best cardiac hospital care available. Our experienced team of top heart and cardiovascular specialists strive to work with each patient to identify the best treatment options for heart and vascular conditions. Whether you need a top heart surgeon (or specialist), a cardiac specialist, a vascular or thoracic surgeon, or one of our best-in-class cardiothoracic specialists - our doctors, nurses and technologists will work with you to strive for the best cardiovascular care for your unique needs. We strive to be the best cardiac hospital not just in the San Francisco East Bay but for every patient who enters our heart center, whether they come from Oakland, Berkeley, or beyond the Bay Area.