Surgical Techniques

  : : As of now are there any surgical procedures to reduce an enlarged left atrium causing atrial fibrillation?
  : : Liz
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  : Dear Elizabeth,
  : Thank you for your question.  The question I have for you is what is the cause of the afib?  If it is valvular the action is usually to replace the valve.  There is an operation called the Maze procedure that is sometimes done in conjunction with valve surgery that "remodels" the atrium to stop the fibrillation.  This may be what you are thinking of.  It is not usually done by itself.  Dr. Mcarthy does this surgery here if you are interested in making an appointment.
  : I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.  Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
  : If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.  The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
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Dear Liz,
The procedure you are talking about is called a catheter maze procedure.  It is still relatively experimental and not routinely undertaken.  The enlarged atrium does contribute to the afib but now that the valve is fixed it may be possible to maintain sinus rhythm.
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.  Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.  The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.