The maze procedure is a type of surgery performed to treat atrial fibrillation. This open-heart surgery is usually reserved for patients with severe symptoms of atrial fibrillation that do not respond to various forms of treatment, including medications, cardioversion and catheter ablation.

The maze procedure gets its name from the cuts performed during the surgery. A surgeon makes precise incisions in the heart tissue to reroute the errant electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation. By interrupting the possible flow of electricity through the heart muscle, the cuts provide only one specific pathway for the electrical signals to travel through the heart, reducing the fibrillation. The surgery takes about three hours to complete, and full recovery takes about six to eight weeks. Cardiac rehabilitation is an important part of many patients’ recovery.

In an effort to reduce the trauma and recovery time associated with the traditional maze procedure, surgeons are developing newer variations that may require only a day or two in the hospital. These newer, minimally invasive procedures vary in complexity. Some can be performed with microwave or radiofrequency to make cuts. Another uses high-frequency ultrasound technology. Some of these procedures avoid use of the heart-lung machine and can be performed without opening the chest cavity.

Ideally, patients who have the maze procedure will have no more signs or symptoms of atrial fibrillation and a reduced risk of stroke. However, there is a possibility that some patients will need to continue taking medication or will need to have a pacemaker surgically implanted after the procedure.