Last updated: 11/24/2009

Full recovery from the Maze procedure takes six to eight weeks. Upon release from the hospital, the patient will feel weak because of the extended bed rest in the hospital. Within a few weeks, the patient should begin to feel stronger.

Most patients...

are able to drive in about three to four weeks, after receiving approval from their physician. Sexual activity can generally be resumed in three to four weeks, depending on the patient's rate of recovery.

It takes about six to eight weeks for the sternum to heal. During this time, the patient should not perform activities that cause pressure or put weight on the breastbone or tension on the arms and chest. Pushing and pulling heavy objects (such as mowing the lawn) should be avoided and lifting objects more than 20 lb (9 kg) is not permitted. The patient should not hold his or her arms above shoulder level for a long period of time. The patient should try not to stand in one place for longer than 15 minutes. Stair climbing is permitted unless other instructions have been given.

Within four to six weeks, people with sedentary office jobs can return to work; people with physical jobs (such as construction work or jobs requiring heavy lifting) must wait longer (up to 12 weeks).

In about 30% of all patients, atrial fibrillation will recur temporarily right after surgery. This is common. Medications are usually prescribed to control atrial fibrillation after surgery. About three months after the surgery, medications are often reduced and then stopped.

In about 7–10% of patients, a permanent pacemaker is needed as a result of the procedure or sometimes due to underlying sinus node dysfunction.

About 90–95% of patients have a return of normal heart rhythm within one year after the surgery. Among U.S. surgeons reporting their data in the January 2000 issue of Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the overall success rate of the Maze procedure is from 90–97%. Some hospitals report a 95–98% success rate in lone atrial fibrillation patients (those who do not have any other underlying heart conditions) undergoing the traditional Maze procedure. An 80–90% success rate has been reported for the surgical pulmonary vein isolation procedure.