Ablation

book "Beat Your A-Fib

by marylandpm - 2018-01-01 19:57:45

  You could get a copy of "Beat Your A-Fib" by Steve Ryan ,PHD.  It's been 3 months since I had my second ablation and so far so good. I still take eliquis and have no plans to stop. You don't give a location but I would only go to a major hospital that does a lot of ablations. 

 Also I hope your consultant is a EP. If not get one.

Jack

ablation

by islandgirl - 2018-01-01 20:08:31

I just had a very extensive 5-hour ablation about 5 weeks ago for afib and 3 other arrhythmias.  I had never had afib before.  I had over 400 areas ablated.  Make sure the EP is a member of the heart rhythm society.  My EP came back this past fall with new information regarding afib ablations from a heart rhythm society meeting.  He used the additional learned knowledge on me.  My healing will take 3 months and I'm having arrhythmias during the healing process, as I'm told they can get worse before they get better in the 3 months.  I've noticed afib a few times, and will be anxious to see my ep at my 8-week checkup.  

Good luck.

Ablation

by Goldenoldy - 2018-01-02 03:17:34

Thanks for your responses. I’m in the UK and will have the procedure at the Manchester Heart Center.

My Ablation

by Artist - 2018-01-03 17:50:24

I had a heart ablation at the U of Alabama.  The physician that did it was highly recommended by my EP and very experienced.  My procedure took 4 1/2 hours and was successful in reducing the frequency, duration  and intensity of my AFIB.  I found the operating theater fascinating with all of the technicians and monitors. People have varying responses to ablations, but it was very helpful for me.  I'm glad that I had the procedure. Since my AFIB is not completely gone, I still have to take Sotalol and Eliquis.  I was hoping to get off Sotalol since it makes me feel tired and weak.  Good luck with your ablation.  It does take some time after the ablation for the irritation to the heart muscle to subside and you get a better idea of how successful it was. 

Atrial flutter/ fibrillation ablation

by Selwyn - 2018-01-05 22:30:05

I have had a flutter and fibrillation ablation as two seperate procedures on the NHS in Liverpool. My last op. was in October. 

Sometimes you get a general anaesthetic, sometimes not. You can get angina type chest pain if awake. It is a long time to lie still for 4 hours + for the fibrillation ablation. My consultant advised a GA. ( though this has some additional risk attached).

You need to be fasting and off your antiarhythmia drugs prior to the procedure. You need to be anticoagulated for 4 weeks prior to the procedure.

You can have a transoesophageal echocardiogram done at the time of the ablation to ensure that there is no clot in the heart that could be dislodged.

 Catheters are placed in the right groin vein, and directed through the heart to the left atrium- one to monitor the electrical activity ( mapping) and one to do the burning. Once the computer software has built up an image of the electrical activity, the specialist knows where to burn ( around the pulmonary veins for the fibrillation, and around the tricuspid valve on the right side for the flutter). The software shows the tip of the catheter. I had over 60 burns, hence the long time for the operation. 

An overnight stay.  You cannot drive for a week. It takes 2-3 weeks for the heart to heal and the ablation to be seen to be effective. You get a nice right groin bruise. 

I am waiting for a further fibrillation ablation as there was only a partial success and I am still  having some arrhythmia from a site in the left atrium.  

There are well defined risks with ablation ranging from stroke to open heart surgery.

The idea is to burn or destroy the areas responsible for the fibrillation- these are around the pulmonary veins ( left side)  The flutter ablation is rather simpler- the burn breaks the circle of the electrical activity around the tricuspid valve ( right side).  There is a failure rate, the success rate  depends on many factors eg. structural heart disease, longevity of arrhythmia etc.

"You pays you money and take your chance". ( Well at least under the NHS it is free!).

I hope to have my third ablation in March, and have a listed date.

Selwyn