If medication is unsuccessful, the Maze surgical procedure may be the answer. Advances in surgical treatments have revolutionized care for patients who live with atrial fibrillation. Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, and Niv Ad, MD, are worldwide leaders in this advanced technique, which has a 95 percent success rate.
Under the leadership of Niv Ad, MD, a recognized A-fib specialist, we offer one of the largest surgical atrial fibrillation centers in the nation. Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is home to one of the largest and most effective surgical Maze programs in the nation. Our experience includes more than 600 operations in the last six years, more than 200 of which were stand-alone Maze procedures. In addition, all patients can participate in a life-long follow-up registry. The study and its findings are nationally recognized as providing surgeons with critical information about post-surgical quality of life.
Dr. Ad and his colleagues have built a distinct, high-volume Maze program that is a model for hospitals throughout the country. Cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and electrophysiologists work collaboratively to perform hundreds of these complex procedures each year. Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is one of only a handful of cardiac centers to offer a minimally invasive version of this procedure in addition to a stand-alone version.
Kinds of Maze Procedures
Median sternotomy. Involves a midline incision and splitting of the breastbone and is often performed in conjunction with coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral valve repair and/or valve replacement. Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is one of the few centers in the country to offer the full Maze as a stand-alone procedure. It is also offered to patients who are not eligible for minimally invasive surgery.
Pulmonary vein isolation. Performed on patients with intermittent A-fib. It involves bilateral incisions in the chest wall and separation of the left atrial appendage.
Minimally invasive Maze procedure. Developed as the result of great technological and surgical advances. Surgery is performed with video-guided instruments through small keyhole incisions made between the ribs. Advantages include less pain and scarring, lower risk of infection, faster recovery and earlier return to work and daily activities.
Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is one of only a few heart centers in the country that performs the minimally invasive Maze procedure, which has the same high success rate as the traditional open version.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Maze 
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