Does anyone know anything about Seaton Hospital/Clinic in Austin, Texas?
I have been told second-handedly that they have a team of doctors who specialize in all kinds of heart related ablations. I don't know if they perform 'maze' procedures or not. Any information would be helpful to me as I live in central East Texas and Austin is only five hours drive. I don't know of anything in Dallas, 125 miles due west of me.

Glenn Camp

Glen:
Why are you looking into the most radical procedures like Maze and AV node ablabion? Why not consider PVA (pulmonary vein ablation). Maze requires open heart surgery and a heart and lung machine, which carries it's own risks. AV node ablation would make you 100% pacemaker dependant. However, if it were me and those two were the choices, I would have the AV node ablation since you already have a pacemaker.
The hospital you asked about (Seaton Hospital, Austin) has no listing among the top 50. The Texas centers listed are:
Texas Heart Institute at ST Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston (#8)
Methodist Hospital, Houston (#15)
Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas (#24)

Glen, have you ever tried any invasive procedures to rid yourself of your afib?
I also heart a nightmare, unbelievable horror story from Ft. Worth, Texas. I would stay out of Ft. Worth.

Keep us posted

Pam

No Pam, I'm not interested in having an a/v ablation. I was told about four years ago that it would probably aggrevate the PVC's I have. I really am new to these boards and I'm reading all I can and trying to make a determination as to which to pursue. I see that MAZE has the highest success rate over PVA. Local Cardiologists and Electrophysiologists certainly do not have any expertise in PVA or MAZE and it would require long travel for me to get to Cleveland or to Georgetown University in Wasington D.C. for MAZE. Our oldest daughter is trying to steer me to have the MAZE procedure or MiniMaze if I'm a candidate.
My main problem is traveling anywhere. My Afib is so bad that I can't go anywhere by myself. If leave the house or stay home, I'm always going into Afib.

So Pam, any suggestions you all can help me with would surely be appreciated. I've done the medication thing for years. I've done the cardioversion thing too, the latest in July....lasted almost two days.

I've heard there's a good EP at Scott and White Clinic in Temple, Texas and I may see him or see one in Dallas. It's a shame places like Dallas and Houston with all the "high touted" medical facilities as they like to say that there is not one Dr. who does these procedures.

Glenn Camp

Glenn:
Isn't there someone, a close friend or family member who would be able to go with you. You'd just as well have afib in a car or on a plane enroute to a cure, as just sitting at home and having it without a light at the end of the tunnel. Hell, I don't even know you, but if I was able, I would take you myself.

Stay tuned Glenn, there is an answer somewhere,
Pam