How is it determined where to make the atrial incisions?
During the research and development phase of the Maze procedure, a sophisticated, computerized mapping system was devised and patients with AF were studied extensively. Once the characteristics of AF were better understood, it became clear that AF is less chaotic than was once believed. In fact, consistent areas in both atria where atrial fibrillation originates were identified in the patient population that was studied. This information lead to the idea of surrounding the electrical circuits with incisions. Additional research on canine models helped to establish the pattern of the incisions to eradicate the AF. The challenge was to discover just the right number of incisions to stop the AF while preserving the function of the atria. Additional revision of the Maze procedure over time has lead to its current form of practice. The Maze procedure is thus performed in the exact same manner with precise placement of incisions for each patient.
