5 box Thorascoscope maze done on me 9/17

[Pete0629]

Hi all, just letting you all know I had this procedure done last Friday at Ohio State University Ross Heart Hospital. Dr Sirak is one of the innovators of this minimal invasive procedure. To save time and learn more you can go Ohioafib.com.

The advantage of this procedure over a typical ablation is it is much more affective on my condition, persistant, afib. It is more thorough and has better longterm results.It is definatley not a walk in the park. It is more invasive than the popular cardiac ablation, but as I said more affective on my type of afib, from the research I have done.

I am going to answer as many questions as I can in order to help people that are considering the procedure.

From what I have understood the procedure is " in network" in my United Healthcare insurance network. But I haven't seen any bills yet so only time will tell.
The worst part of the surgery is , to me, the feeling, weakness, and psycotic feeling from the  anethstetic and pain killers, I hate em! I actually hallucinated on them and they lingered for days. I did talk to others that have had surgery and they didn't have the same reaction , so it may be just me. I had essentially 2 nurses taking care of me in my room, one for general house keeping and care and the other a cardiac nurse. Both were professional and caring to the max. I also, being a single guy, developed a crush on my nurse in the OR, but I'll save that story for my buddys.
I have 10 incisions on my body, under my arms across my chest and 2 drain holes below my ribs. Small ones 1/2 inch long. Another concern I had was the whole BM issue, but I can report this morning I'm happy in that area.
I am on several meds for the shorterm. Mainly, as Dr Sirak told me, my heart has burns on it for the moment and need to heal, there will probably be inconsistant reactions to the inflammation over the next few weeks, but eventually I'll be taken off most or all the meds.

I'm not out playing tennis again, yet, but that is in my sites.

Any more questions? I'll be home the rest of the week and happy to let you know my experience.

Pete

[Jim120]

Congratulations on your victory!  Thanks for letting us know.

Jim

[Ken65]

Great to hear.  Super and expected result.  Ain't nsr nice?

Ken

[Mike2496]

I'm home today (Thursday), three days after my from my Monday morning 5-box Mini Maze with atrial ligation. In perfect NSR and my blood pressure is back to normal ranges. I'll discontinue the Diltiazem until I find a reason to continue. Will continue with Warfarin until my cardiologist feels comfortble taking me off. As with Pete, I suffer very little discomfort. Well, lets qualify that. Little discomfort given that I am religious in taking my Oxycodone-Acetaminophen every 4 hours. As I type this I feel great and have zero pain. Most of the time I spent healing in the hostpital I spent looking at my sinus wave, BP and Oxygen saturation. Loved every minute!

[Glenn289]

Hi Rick,

This sounds quite troubling and I hope you will find the information you are looking for.   Has anyone told you that you have "sick sinus syndrome"?
I googled "sick sinus syndrome amiodarone" and found some interesting
articles.  Take a look and let us know what you think?

However, most important, I would suggest that you check out some of the other threads on MedHelp.  I believe some of those threads are focused on anti-arrhythmia drugs and the effects of amiodarone.  If it is indeed the drug that has aggravated your problem, then those threads may be more useful sources of information relevant to your situation than this one.

If you do check out the other threads, please do let us know what you learn.  All of us here are very interested in everything related to AF treatment, especially as it pertains to people who have done the TTM/5.
So please stay in touch and let us know how things develop for you.

Glenn.

[Ken65]

Rick:  I am sorry to hear about your difficulties with the meds.  It is too bad the sinoA node went bad.  As mentioned before, I am still having PACs after some weeks of "quiet" NSR, and am on atenolol which is not doing that much to control them, although I do not notice them as much anymore.  Some have said you get used to them; some have said the atenolol helps you not notice them.  Not sure which it is.

Again, sorry I do not have any "words of wisdom".  If you have a pacemaker, doesn't that automatically keep you in nsr and if yes, why the amiodarone (or anything else for that matter)??

Ken

[Ken65]

If anyone reading this has had a TTM or TTM/Five Box and would like to consider participating in a private email group, please email me at *******.

Ken