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. Through a needle-puncture in the skin, the LAA is accessed and tied off with the use of the LARIAT procedure. This approach focuses on the left atrial appendage (LAA), a major source of stroke-causing blood clots in people with AFib. Our experts pioneered a catheter-based procedure that provides long-term protection against stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. In some cases, other nonsurgical and surgical procedures can be used to treat AFib. Mini-Maze surgery – 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).Maze surgery – open heart bypass surgery that isolates the atrial tissue with radiowaves and/or freezing in order to prevent the spread of disorganized electrical signals.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.Your cardiologist who specializes in arrhythmia may also use one of the following procedures to restore normal heart rhythm: These medications are used to control the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat and to prevent or treat blood clots. Generally, heart medication is the first step in treating AFib and atrial flutter. How AFib is treated depends on the duration of the AFib, the frequency and severity of your symptoms, how well your heart functions and whether heart disease runs in your family.

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