Re: RE: Subject: Finding a doctor in your area who was trained-...

[Guest guest]

Hi Jo Anne.

My intent was not to insult you. I apologize if it appeared that way.

Your husband is one lucky guy to have you pulling for him. Many should be so

lucky.

Your husband has three cure opportunities.

1. PVA (Pulmonary Vein Ablation)

2. The Mizi Maze.

3. The full Maze.

Have you begun any research into the different cures beyong the CC. What

state do you live in?

Maybe we can help finding the a few locations.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Hi Jo Anne,

Cincinnatti. The home of Dr. Wolfe. One of the foremost cardiothoracic

surgeons for the mini maze procedure. He wrote the book along with a couple of

other surgeons. That route is very successful. If your husband has been in AF

for seven weeks, Im not sure how that would play out from a success point of

view. The high success rate are usually based on paroxysmal AF and not

persistent AF.

The radio therapy and cryo therapy you speak of are the PVA. Radio frequency

and cryo are energy sources. The mortality rate is 1%. I had my PVA in 2002

and it all worked out fine.

Go to _www.affacts.org_ (http://www.affacts.org) for the PVA procedure. The

Cleveland Clinic also has a page for this information, but I don't have the

address. Like the mini maze, the success rates will vary depending on what

degree of AF you have.

I would talk with Dr. Wolfe and being he is in a major heart center, they

must have accomplished EP's as well. This is to accomadate your insurance. The

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension. If

I needed another PVA, I wouldn't think twice about having it done. Many on

this board have said the same. I'm sure Mini Maze patients would say the same.

Here's some home work. Ask your insurance company what they would pay for a

Radio frequency PVA in Cleveland. When you get the answer, post it on the b

oard and we can compare it to what others have paid at the CC for the same

procedure. It may suprise you!

Good luck.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Jo Anne here is an address for Dr. Adam Saltman. One of the pioneers of the

Mini Maze. He has a page that discusses the procedure.

_http://www.hsforum.com/stories/storyReader$3845_'>http://www.hsforum.com/stories/storyReader$3845_

(http://www.hsforum.com/stories/storyReader$3845)

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Rich O, I am aware of the three procedures you mention, but don't know much

about them. I was thinking beyond the cardioconversion to the

radiotherapy/cryotherapy ablation, but not the pulmonary vein ablation.

My husband's present doctor mentioned that with the pulmonary vein ablation

there was a risk of death, but we generally don't take anyone's opinion on

something so important to us without checking it out ourselves.

We live in Cincinnati, so we could physically go to Cleveland Clinic for any of

this surgery, but our insurance might only pay 60% there, but 90 to 100% here.

Jo Anne

Finding a doctor in your area who was

trained-...

Hi Jo Anne.

My intent was not to insult you. I apologize if it appeared that way.

Your husband is one lucky guy to have you pulling for him. Many should be so

lucky.

Your husband has three cure opportunities.

1. PVA (Pulmonary Vein Ablation)

2. The Mizi Maze.

3. The full Maze.

Have you begun any research into the different cures beyong the CC. What

state do you live in?

Maybe we can help finding the a few locations.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Rich, I have only read something of the 3 cure opportunities, and have only a

vague idea what they do, not even that they were considered cures.

My husband's present doctor who tells us what my husband should do, but not why,

did volunteer not to have the pulmonary vein ablation because patients can die

with it. But we check out such things for ourselves.

We live in Cincinnati, so Cincinnati Clinic would be doable by distance, but I

don't know if our insurance would cover more than 60% there, whereas it would

cover 90-100% here.

Jo Anne

Finding a doctor in your area who was

trained-...

Hi Jo Anne.

My intent was not to insult you. I apologize if it appeared that way.

Your husband is one lucky guy to have you pulling for him. Many should be so

lucky.

Your husband has three cure opportunities.

1. PVA (Pulmonary Vein Ablation)

2. The Mizi Maze.

3. The full Maze.

Have you begun any research into the different cures beyong the CC. What

state do you live in?

Maybe we can help finding the a few locations.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Rich,

World wide 17 people have died during PVA, most of them due to burn of food

pipe due to enlarged atrium.

Alfred

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension.

celtic8586@... wrote:

Hi Jo Anne,

Cincinnatti. The home of Dr. Wolfe. One of the foremost cardiothoracic

surgeons for the mini maze procedure. He wrote the book along with a couple of

other surgeons. That route is very successful. If your husband has been in AF

for seven weeks, Im not sure how that would play out from a success point of

view. The high success rate are usually based on paroxysmal AF and not

persistent AF.

The radio therapy and cryo therapy you speak of are the PVA. Radio frequency

and cryo are energy sources. The mortality rate is 1%. I had my PVA in 2002

and it all worked out fine.

Go to _www.affacts.org_ (http://www.affacts.org) for the PVA procedure. The

Cleveland Clinic also has a page for this information, but I don't have the

address. Like the mini maze, the success rates will vary depending on what

degree of AF you have.

I would talk with Dr. Wolfe and being he is in a major heart center, they

must have accomplished EP's as well. This is to accomadate your insurance. The

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension. If

I needed another PVA, I wouldn't think twice about having it done. Many on

this board have said the same. I'm sure Mini Maze patients would say the same.

Here's some home work. Ask your insurance company what they would pay for a

Radio frequency PVA in Cleveland. When you get the answer, post it on the b

oard and we can compare it to what others have paid at the CC for the same

procedure. It may suprise you!

Good luck.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Could someone speak to the differences....similarities...relatedness of PVA to

the other ablations?

Gerald

Finding a doctor in your area who was

trained-...

Rich,

World wide 17 people have died during PVA, most of them due to burn of food

pipe due to enlarged atrium.

Alfred

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of

anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension.

celtic8586@... wrote:

Hi Jo Anne,

Cincinnatti. The home of Dr. Wolfe. One of the foremost cardiothoracic

surgeons for the mini maze procedure. He wrote the book along with a couple of

other surgeons. That route is very successful. If your husband has been in AF

for seven weeks, Im not sure how that would play out from a success point of

view. The high success rate are usually based on paroxysmal AF and not

persistent AF.

The radio therapy and cryo therapy you speak of are the PVA. Radio frequency

and cryo are energy sources. The mortality rate is 1%. I had my PVA in 2002

and it all worked out fine.

Go to _www.affacts.org_ (http://www.affacts.org) for the PVA procedure. The

Cleveland Clinic also has a page for this information, but I don't have the

address. Like the mini maze, the success rates will vary depending on what

degree of AF you have.

I would talk with Dr. Wolfe and being he is in a major heart center, they

must have accomplished EP's as well. This is to accomadate your insurance. The

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension. If

I needed another PVA, I wouldn't think twice about having it done. Many on

this board have said the same. I'm sure Mini Maze patients would say the

same.

Here's some home work. Ask your insurance company what they would pay for a

Radio frequency PVA in Cleveland. When you get the answer, post it on the b

oard and we can compare it to what others have paid at the CC for the same

procedure. It may suprise you!

Good luck.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

Gerald, There are two major types of catheter ablations (CA). Pulmonary Vein

Isolation (PVI)ablates parts of the pulmonary veins about where they enter the

heart. The reason for ablationg these areas is that often the irritable impulse

which starts the atrial fibrillating, is located on the pulmonarry veins. These

ablations are designed to eliminate the foci in the pulmonary veins or to create

a scar which acts to obstuct any fibrillatory impulses before they can cause the

atria to fibrillate of quiver. The PVI procedure can be curative in many cases.

Another CA procedure is to ablate the Atrioventricular Node (AV node). This

does not stop the atria from fibrillation, but it stops the rapid chaotic

impulses from passing through the AV node in route to the venricles. Since

impulses no longer travel from the atria to the ventricles, an artificail

pacemaker is necessary to stimulate the ventricles to contract. The atria

continue to fibrillate or quiver so blood in the atria tends to stagnate and can

cause clots. For this reason a blood thinner such as coumadin will be necessary

to reduce the chance of clotting and consequent chance of stroke. This procedure

is not curative, but in some cases it is useful to stop the ventricles from

beating rapidly. AV ablation does not stop the atrial fibrillation, so there

remains an increased risk for stroke.

Finally there are mini-maze procedures, in which scars are created in

strategic parts of the atria. These scars are designed to block chaotic impulses

in the atria from generating fibrillatory activity in the atria. These

procedures are often done through small incisions or " Key Holes " in the side of

the ribcage. This proceure has potential to cure AF.

There is a lot good info being generated in this support group, and a lot of

info is available on line as well.

Gerald ger320@...> wrote:

Could someone speak to the differences....similarities...relatedness of PVA to

the other ablations?

Gerald

Finding a doctor in your area who was

trained-...

Rich,

World wide 17 people have died during PVA, most of them due to burn of food

pipe due to enlarged atrium.

Alfred

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of

anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension.

celtic8586@... wrote:

Hi Jo Anne,

Cincinnatti. The home of Dr. Wolfe. One of the foremost cardiothoracic

surgeons for the mini maze procedure. He wrote the book along with a couple of

other surgeons. That route is very successful. If your husband has been in AF

for seven weeks, Im not sure how that would play out from a success point of

view. The high success rate are usually based on paroxysmal AF and not

persistent AF.

The radio therapy and cryo therapy you speak of are the PVA. Radio frequency

and cryo are energy sources. The mortality rate is 1%. I had my PVA in 2002

and it all worked out fine.

Go to _www.affacts.org_ (http://www.affacts.org) for the PVA procedure. The

Cleveland Clinic also has a page for this information, but I don't have the

address. Like the mini maze, the success rates will vary depending on what

degree of AF you have.

I would talk with Dr. Wolfe and being he is in a major heart center, they

must have accomplished EP's as well. This is to accomadate your insurance. The

" you can die " applies to any and all treatments. I have never heard of anyone

dying from a PVA or Mini Maze procedure. It has never been reported on this

board to my knowledge. It is normal to have a bit of fear and apprehension. If

I needed another PVA, I wouldn't think twice about having it done. Many on

this board have said the same. I'm sure Mini Maze patients would say the

same.

Here's some home work. Ask your insurance company what they would pay for a

Radio frequency PVA in Cleveland. When you get the answer, post it on the b

oard and we can compare it to what others have paid at the CC for the same

procedure. It may suprise you!

Good luck.

Rich O

[Guest guest]

I had a pulmonary vein isolation ablation 6 weeks ago (tomorrow) and I didn't

die.

As a matter of fact, death was never mentioned as something I should consider

as a side effect of this surgery as compared to any other surgery. The three

concerns are stroke, fistula, and tampanad. Stenosis is also a consideration,

but not generally during or immediately following the surgery. The risk of

major complication is 3% or less. THIS is a figure of combined statistics for

all doctors who do this procedure.. this includes inexperienced surgeons as

well. My guess is that if you took the statistics for only the handful of

really spectacular and experienced surgeons in this procedure, that the risk

would actually be less.

My husband's present doctor mentioned that with the pulmonary vein ablation

there was a risk of death,