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

[Pete0629]

Hi David

Everything Madge said is true. Please try/insist on getting names, specifics on what happened. Good luck.
Pete

[madgicb]

Hi David,

Thanks so much for clearing this story up for us. John Sirak at Ohio State in Columbus is the only surgeon I know who does the five box surgery. It requires very specialized skill and equipment. I am really surprised that someone offered you a five-box somewhere else. I do not know of a surgeon from Utah who does this surgery.,.. just Ohio.

The surgery shouldn't take 9.5 hours either. Mine was considered long (due to fibrotic tissue) at it was around 5-6 hours.

I do hope that the phrenic nerve heals. I have heard of that happening, although it could take a couple of years. I am so sorry for what you are going through.The five box is a great surgery, but has to be done by the right surgeon.

Can you ask your surgeon for more information? Get the name of the proctor from Utah and maybe we can all help you out with some research on this. You can also ask the surgeon for you surgical report.

Hang in there David... hoping you recover your lung function.
Madge

[David580327]

Hey Everyone,

I'm interested to learn if anyone has had this procedure done in Florida and if by who? The results as well???

I had the procedure done at Naples Community Hospital, my Thorasic Surgeon was Dr. Pascotto. I know this doctor has not preformed many of this procedure, but they were supposed to fly in a Proctor Surgeon from Utah who has preformed over a 1000 5 Box Maze surgeries and supervisor the 9.5 hour surgery. I never met the Proctor Surgeon (before, during or after) and his name does not appear on any of my paperwork, has anyone ever heard of this practice?

Just to catch you up on my case it appears the surgeon traumatised, paralyzed or clipped the Phrenic Nerve and now I have lost use of my left lung and my diaphragm has moved up under the rib cage (painful yes). Know one can tell me if it will repair it self they just keep asking me to be patient and say lets give it another 3 months.....

The procedure was preformed in Sept. 2012 after 4 months of minor fibrillation 24/7, they cardio converted me on January 11th,2013 and my heart has stayed in sinus, but this lung thing has me for a loss! That's my story in a nut shell.

David

[madgicb]

Hi David,

I am very curious about this. Please let me know who your surgeon was.

Madge

[madgicb]

Hi David,

You have certainly been through a lot. I am glad that you are in sinus rhythm, but very sorry to hear about the collapsed lung and phrenic nerve damage. From what I understood, a couple of years ago (or so) Dr. Sirak modified his surgery to stay away from the phrenic nerve. I am wondering how this happened. Just to verify, you had the five box maze at Ohio State?

[David580327]

Hey everyone,

My FIBRILLATION was caused by a reaction to anesthesia, after 8 cardiac conversion and 1 failed Ablation in July 11th 2012, I had the 5 box maze done on Sep 11th 2012. Although all my major attacks have gone away, but then I was in FIBRILLATION 24/7 for the next 4 months, they very minor, but I never forgot I was in FIBRILLATION.

I could not take any deep breaths and had pain in my lower ribs (like one was busted).  Jan, 2013 I was having a lot of pain in my ribs and went into the emergency room, where they found my left lung was collapsed and my diaphragm had moved up under my ribs (that was the pain I was feeling)

On January 11th,2013 the decided to convert me again and that was successful, my HEART has been insinus and as of today still beating good.

Now I'm dealing with a collapsed lung with minimum chance of recovery...
Has anyone had to deal with a lung problem??? My surgeon stated " he either traumatised, paralyzed or clipped my PHRENIC Nerve. I've done a lot of reading and no one else has had to deal with this, but if you have I'd like to chat sometime! Also dealing with side reactions to drugs...

David from Naples Florida