Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (CryoMAZE)
525 East 68th Street, M-404
New York, NY 10065
56-45 Main Street, 3S – Room 387
Flushing, NY 11355
Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythms) caused by irregular electrical transmissions through the heart. With atrial fibrillation, the atria (the two small upper chambers of the heart) beat chaotically, which can cause blood to pool and clots to form.
Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of:
• Stroke
• Cardiomyopathy (the inability of the heart to pump blood around the body)
• Congestive heart failure.
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center is a leader in diagnosing and managing arrhythmias in both adults and children.
Weill Cornell Medicine's surgical treatment options
The cardiac surgeons at Weill Cornell Medicine offer CryoMAZE—a surgical procedure for patients with atrial fibrillation who are also having an open-heart procedure.
The CryoMAZE surgery can interrupt the path of aberrant electrical impulses that cause the arrhythmia. The area around the pulmonary veins— the site where irregularities in the electrical impulses most likely form — is treated with freezing temperatures. This treatment forms a barrier that disrupts the pathway of abnormal electrical impulses, thereby curing the arrhythmia.
At Weill Cornell Medicine, our success rate for CryoMAZE is 90 percent.
Our patients also benefit from:
• Our unique post-CryoMAZE procedure follow-up program: For two years after surgery, all patients receive a heart rhythm-monitoring devise at three- to six-month intervals. The devise is worn for five consecutive days to collect data and create detailed records of the heart rhythm. This guides long-term medication management strategies.
• Our surgical team works with each patient to develop an individualized, comprehensive treatment plan
• Access to world-class imaging technology for the most accurate diagnosis possible
• Collaboration with other specialists (such as cardiologists and anesthesiologists) to provide seamless, high-quality care
