1. What is involved in heart surgery? - This depends on what is needed. Click Intro to Cardiac Surgery for an introduction to modern heart surgery.

2. What is the difference between open heart surgery and regular heart surgery? - Most people call any surgery on the heart open heart surgery. Technically, heart surgery is open only when you have to open the heart. Since the coronary arteries are on the outside surface of the heart, coronary artery bypass grafting is not open heart. Valve surgery such as aortic or mitral valve replacement or repair does involve opening the heart and is, by definition, open-heart.

3. What is atrial fibrillation?- Atrial fibrillation is a condition affecting 1% of the general population and up to 10% of those above age 60. It is a condition wherein the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria) lose their regular rhythmic, coordinated contractions. This causes an irregular heart rate, decreases the cardiac output of the heart, and can cause strokes from blood clots forming within the heart. For a more detailed explanation, click What is atrial fibrillation?

4. Do you need heart surgery to do the Maze? - Yes. Currently, the maze is done with open surgery. There is development of catheters which may allow this to be done without surgery but that are not available yet. Even when they become available, it will take some time to measure their effectiveness, compared to the standard method.

5. What is a cryolesion? - A cryolesion is an area in the heart muscle made electrically inert by freezing it. There are other ways of blocking electrical transmission, such as radiofrequency ablation. However, cryoablation is the gold standard because of proven ability to control how far the ablation extends and proven ability to maintain electrical inertness. Cryoablation is the method used in the standard Maze.

6.  What are Dr. Tang's hospital affiliations? - California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, St Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco (where he is chief of Cardiac Surgery), St Francis Memorial Hospital, Chinese Hospital

7. What should I expect after surgery? - click here for an explanation from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

8. Why should I choose Dr. Tang to do my surgery?