Robotic ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) or MAZE, is an advanced medical procedure aimed at treating irregular heart rhythms. Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia characterized by rapid and irregular electrical signals in the heart's upper chambers (atria). Robotic cryo-ablation employs cutting-edge technology to precisely target and eliminate the abnormal tissue responsible for triggering and sustaining AF.
A surgeon utilizes a robotic-assisted system to navigate catheters and specialized instruments into the heart through small incisions during the procedure. The robotic system provides enhanced precision, allowing the surgeon to create lesions or scars on the heart tissue using radiofrequency or cryotherapy. These lesions disrupt the abnormal electrical pathways, causing AF, and restoring a normal heart rhythm. The left atrial appendix, which can be a source of stroke, is occluded or isolated during robotic MAZE procedure.
The minimally invasive nature of robotic ablation reduces the need for large incisions, resulting in:
- Shorter recovery times
- Less postoperative discomfort
- Decreased risk of complications compared to traditional open-heart surgery.
The high-definition, three-dimensional visualization provided by the robotic system enhances the accuracy of the procedure, contributing to its effectiveness in treating atrial fibrillation and improving patients' quality of life by restoring a regular and coordinated heartbeat.
The team at NewYork-Presbyterian includes experts in the use of total endoscopic surgery for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. This is most often done in combination with other operations, including mitral valve and tricuspid valve repair but can be done as a stand-alone operation.
Our teams include experts in robotic cardiac surgery for the treatment of various other conditions of the heart. This includes resection of intracardiac tumors such as atrial myxoma and aortic valve replacement. Our teams are involved in developing new innovative approaches to cardiac disease and identifying ways to benefit patients with excellent outcomes.