Need Advice on Maze Surgery Done 2 Years Ago
Posted , 4 users are following.
I'm going to try real hard not to be too lengthy and apologize if I am. Briefly, I have suffered with Afib for well over 15 years and hospitalized on and off. We had discussed ablation but always decided against it hoping time would take care of it along with some medication. In 2014 the AFib became chronic, there was not a day that I didn't have it. My cardiologist sent me to an electrophysiologist who in turn sent me to a surgeon. We discussed the different procedures such as ablation and maze and decided that since I've suffered for so many years and the success rate of maze that this should be the course of action. The mini-maze was to be a minimally invasive surgery, this is what I was told was going to happen. I was to be in surgery for 3 - 4 hours, have a 3 inch incision on my right side, the mitral value was slightly leaky so that was going to be fixed and the appendage removed to avoid stroke risk. Even if the AFib was repaired by the surgery there is still a risk of stroke with me because of two brain tumors (small) so taking it out was best all the way around. My surgery ended up being 8 hours, the incision was from under my arm pit all along my breast to my breast bone, I was put on a heart lung machine during surgery which I never told I would. My hospital stay was 11 days, 7 of those in ICU because of recurrent AFib. I'm told that's normal after the surgery. Anyway, a year after that I experienced shortness of breath and heart flutters, still do. I am reassured that it is not AFib, I have a loop monitor in so it shows that, and just an excelerated heart rate. In November of last year I had a different surgery and went back into AFib. Going back and forth to the heart doctor I've complained of shortness of breath and was told that I needed to lose weight (only 15 overweight so it's not like I'm obese) and see a pulmonary doctor (nothing wrong with the longs) Anyway, my daughter started her nursing program at the hospital and I gave her permission to look in my chart with another doctor since she was telling him about my operation and such. Several doctors ended up looking at the chart and were terribly confused about what had and what wasn't done. Seems the appendage was never removed, the valve never repaired and according to one doctor my heart has "been cut up like a holiday ham". The reports also showed I had a mild case of coronary artery disease, which I was never told. At this point I still have a risk of stroke even if no AFib I do have the tumors, my mitral valve may still be leaking and any coronary artery disease or plague I may have had two years ago may be worse. I'm so up in the air with this and would really appreciate any thoughts or advise. Again I'm sorry for writing this long scenario.
0 likes, 3 replies
betty47298 amd123
Posted
simon56380 amd123
Posted
WOW! !
You really have gone through a hell of a lot.
The only advice that I give is around the benefits of dropping weight.
I was cardioverted 3 times in 6 weeks earlier this year, so decided on ablation.
Was 104kgs (6ft 2/188cm) and told by EP to get under 90kgs. Have managed to do this; it was hard but really worth the effort!
My EP (Prash Sanders) claims that if you are significantly overweight, dropping 10% or more of bodyweight can have a hugely positive impact on most people's AF.
If you Google his name, there are a couple of interviews with him that I think are quite enlightening.
Can't send links on this forum without them being moderated.
Good luck with it all.
amd123 simon56380
Posted
Thank you, I do understand the importance weight has on heart health and I'm aiming to get it under control.