The Maze procedure: the LDS Hospital experience.

At our center we have encouraged consideration of the Maze procedure over noncurative therapies for atrial fibrillation, particularly in patients who have other indications for cardiac surgical intervention. As a result, 78 of the 99 Maze procedures we have performed since 1993 have involved combined procedures. These combined operations included procedures on 1 or more valves in 69 of 78 patients (88%). The unmodified "cut-and-sew" Maze-III technique was used in all patients. There has been no operative mortality, and the median postoperative stay has been 7 days. Cure of atrial fibrillation has been observed in 97% of patients, and pacemaker implantation was required for sick sinus syndrome in 6%. Our results favor broader use of the Maze procedure for symptomatic atrial fibrillation and support use of the original Maze-III technique as the procedure of choice.