Atrial Fibrillation & Atrial Flutter

AFib is characterized by a few common symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Dizziness or fainting
• Fatigue
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness or problems exercising

To diagnose and help further define your specific AFib condition, your doctor may use one of the following tests:

• Cardiac stress testing 
• Chest X-ray
• CT scan 
• Physical exam
• Transesophageal Echocardiogram 
• Wearable or implanted ECG monitor

How AFib is treated depends on the duration of the AFib, the frequency and severity of your symptoms such as palpitations, how well your heart functions and whether heart disease runs in your family.

Generally, medication is the first step in treating AFib and atrial flutter. These medications are used to control the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat and to prevent or treat blood clots.

A cardiologist, electrophysiologist, or cardiac surgeon may also use one of the following procedures to restore normal heart rhythm or resolve AFib:

• Catheter ablation – a catheter-based procedure that uses radio waves to destroy the abnormal heart tissue that is disrupting the normal flow of electrical signals
• Electrical cardioversion – low-energy shocks that trigger a normal heart rhythm
• Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (for example: the Wolf Procedure, formerly known as the Mini-Maze) – small incisions are used to access and destroy nerves that can initiate AFib, as well as close the left atrial appendage, which reduces the risk of blood clots and stroke

In some cases, other nonsurgical and surgical procedures can be used to treat AFib.

Our experts pioneered a catheter-based procedure that provides long-term protection against stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. This approach focuses on the left atrial appendage (LAA), a major source of stroke-causing blood clots in people with AFib. Through a needle-puncture in the skin, the LAA is accessed and tied off with the use of the LARIAT procedure.

We also were the first hospital in Houston offer a device called the WATCHMAN™ — shown to be as effective as blood thinners in reducing stroke risk for people with AFib. The WATCHMAN™ procedure also has fewer potential side effects and risks associated with it than lifelong reliance on blood thinners.

Our cardiovascular surgeons have perfected a minimally invasive cardiac surgery called the Wolf procedure (formerly known as the Mini-Maze). Particularly popular among patients who have had one or more prior catheter ablations, for many, the procedure is a lasting and effective way to treat AFib. In addition, since blood thinners aren’t required afterwards, this procedure can be a good option for people who cannot take blood thinners.

The Wolf procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that involves a partial cardiac denervation. Whereas a catheter ablation focuses on the inside of the heart, the Wolf procedure focuses on the outside of the heart where the nerves are. By decreasing the number of nerves stimulating the heart on the outside, the autonomic nerves, it can effectively cure AFib for many patients. 

The benefits of the Wolf procedure (formerly Mini-Maze) include:

• Over 90 percent of patients who undergo the Wolf procedure maintain normal sinus rhythm
• Substantially reduced risk of blood clots and stroke, since the left atrial appendage is also closed during this procedure
• Faster recovery time and ability to return to normal life sooner
• No blood thinners are required after the procedure
• Reduced pain