Posted by Jack Drum on August 27, 2001 at 22:17:31:
In Reply to: minimally invasive Maze posted by Erika on August 27, 2001 at 21:24:56:
Erika, I will just say that Carl speaks for me, or rather I agree with everything Carl says, but we both had the open heart type. Some of the others who had the minimal will probably prefer the minimal. I really think this is the way it should be. Everyone should think what they had and the surgeons that did their surgery was the best.
I think you will find that most surgeons still do the open heart type. The Cleveland Clinic sometimes do the minimal through the chest without spiting the sternum, and the OSU hospital in Columbus, sometime do the minimal through the rib cage. There may be some others doing minimal types, but none that I know of. I think most surgeons now take patients on self referrals and do their own screening.
Some insurance companies require the patients cardiologist to refer them to the surgeon for the insurance to cover the maze.