Pacemaker or Full maze?

[fzirkle]

Getting frustrated with 3 albations and a minimaze.  After each procedure I seem to get worse.  Being cardioverted every 3 weeks.  Had afib and after ablation now also get tachycardia.  Low energy.  Should I undergoe a full maze procedure (little confidence)  or a pacemaker.  My heart rate is usually low 40's when not in tachycardia.  Would my ventrical beat keep me alive if pacemaker failed.  Is this risky?  Thanks

[fzirkle]

Thanks for your replies.  
Yes, my HR has always been low (probably from lots of sports) but I've been healthy.  Good input, yes doctor now suggesting the full mini-maze (openingn reib cage).  Was told by Dr. that AV node ablation with a pacemaker implantwould only "hide" my atrial arythmia while ventricles would pump well.  

I read that, at least according to some doctors, the AV node ablation will eliminate afib, or at least patients won’t feel it any more. Wrong, say many who have had the procedure. They still feel it, and they are just as miserable.

And whether or not you feel your afib, it’s still damaging your heart, and you’re still at risk of blood clots and strokes. Thus you’ll probably still be on anticoagulants, such as Coumadinâ or warfarin.

[Mom2four85]

I think I'm misreading some of your post, why would your pacemaker fail?

There's quite a few of us who have PM/ICD's - I wouldn't trade mine for open heart surgery even if they said yes it would correct it.  At least I know what my heart's doing at all times and is recorded every second of every day.

Technology is so advanced now, there's so many new features on PM's that the failure rate is probably <1% but I assume things can happen.  I'm a member of an icd forum and the biggest thing I see with pm's are lead failure and batteries changes earlier than projected.

[Jerry_NJ]

By a full maze, do you mean open heart surgery?  That has some risks.  I had open heart mini maze done when I had my mitral valve repaired.  I still have permanent AFib... and a resulting high HR.  

You say you have a low HR, how is that related to AFib?  Or, are you saying your low HR developed after an ablation stopped the AFib.. this doesn't make sense to me either.  Sorry if having such a problem putting the (short) story together.

I think I'd go for a pacemaker before open heart surgery, if that will protect youf from a heart stop.  Again, I don't understand you post, I make my remark based on the belief that you can run under heart managed HR until it goes too low, at which point the PM cuts in.  Another mode, full PM control, I'd not be so much in favor of.  I believe PM are extremely reliable, but anything can fail, in any of us, mechanical or biological.