Av node ablation

Av node ablation

by pogerm1 - 2018-07-03 17:09:33

An AV  node ablation is the last resort---there is a doctor in Texas, Dr. Natalie, who has done thousands and thousands of ablations successfuly which have stopped AF, i certainly would go that route before a node ablation.   Have you taken a beta blocker to slow your heartrate?  Also, electorlytes are very important in AF, magnesim, potassium---I have had AF episodes off and on for around 18 years, magnesium has helped me a lot, my episodes aren't too long and usually every couple of months. 

Pogerm1

Av node ablation

by MAZZAROO - 2018-07-03 17:17:59

I've had electrical problems for about 63 years and have tried every blocker in the book.. that's why cardiologist left with the last option of node ablation.  ...

ablation

by FRA - 2018-07-03 19:48:31

I had ablation done in 2015 - find the best you can, one who has done the procedure 100's of times and only specializes in that area - they go in through vein in grion area.

I had ablation done in 2015 - find the best you can, one who has done the procedure 100's of times and only specializes in that area - they go in through vein in groin area. I found that an easier procedure to go through than the pacemaker route (2017-18).

Most important thing is to find the best you can in that field – my doctor is the only one in Australia who has more than 700 operations under his belt, 200 of which were done in the USA where he trained.  It’s all he does.

Good luck.

AV Node Ablation

by AgentX86 - 2018-07-03 22:10:07

I've had AFib for about 11-12 years.  The first seven years it was handled with a cardioversion and metoprolol.  In '14 it came back with a vengence, then I had bypass surgery.  While they had the "hood open", my cardiologist figured "why not do a Maze at the same time".  That left me in Aflutter and I've been fighting that since.  I had an ablation at the end of '16, another mid '17, and a third in January of this year.  All failed.  In addition, the drugs (sotalol) forced me into a pacemaker.  At that point, it wasn't a huge leap to an AV ablation, so said "enough of this crap" and went with it.

The AV ablation and pacemaker surgery was a piece of cake (all of them except the CABG, were).  I still have a few minor symptoms and some small issues with the pacemaker, at times, but nothing like being in AFL. 

AV ablation is the last resort, only to be considered after everything else has failed and you still can't stand the arrhythmia.  Once you're at that point, it's a very simple procedure.  The decision wasn't a big one for me.  I couldn't sleep with the flutter.  It got so I couldn't think and had no attention span.  I'm an engineer, so it was putting a huge kink in my work. I'm 65, so I could retire but don't want to quite yet.

It sounds like you're not at that point yet.  When you are, the procedure is simple and the results are very good. BTW, most people have an "escape rhythm" that will take over if the pacemaker stops (it won't).  It's not something you want to try (they will test for it - they didn't find it with me).

AV node ablation

by pogerm1 - 2018-07-04 00:30:58

Mazzaroo:

You said your Cardio, you should have a EP, one that deals with the electrical problems of the heart, a Carido deals with the plumbing.  I would never have an ablation with a Cardio.  This site deals more with pacemakers, there is a site that is really great that deals with AF, it is Afibbers.org,

Ablation Without Involving The AV Node

by Artist - 2018-07-04 14:20:27

I also had trouble with AFIB and had an ablation 2 years ago. They start first with mapping the source of the arrhythmias and ended up doing a pulmonary vein isolation and did not ablate my AV node. I have a friend that was a cardiology nurse. She told me that even if they abate the AV node, other cells in the heart can take over the function of the AV node.

Without

by AgentX86 - 2018-07-04 17:52:10

No, other cells won't take over the function of the AV node, or you hope they don't.  Sometimes the block isn't complete or grows back but if it does, it needs to be ablated again.

AV ablation patients (and those with complete heart blocks) may have other cells take over the pacing funtion if the pacemaker fails but they don't transmit the timing signal from the atrium to the ventricles, like the AV node does.  This is known as an "escape rhythm" and it's usually very slow, often less than 30bpm.

AV Node Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

by Heart-Rhythm-Center.com - 2018-07-04 20:16:08

Mazzaroo:

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia seen in a typical electrophysiology practice and often presents with an abnormal or irregular heart rate. Almost 5 percent (five out of one hundred) of patients aged older than sixty years have AF, and the percentage increases almost 0.5 percent per year until by eighty years of age, up to 15 percent of people may have AF. Atrial fibrillation refers to the top chambers of the heart (the right and left atria) fibrillating (or beating rapidly) at 300–400 bpm. This rapid beating is transmitted to the lower pumping chambers of the heart (ventricles) and causes most of the symptoms attributed to AF, such as palpitations, heart racing, chest pain, or shortness of breath. The most concerning aspect of AF—aside from the aforementioned symptoms—is the risk of stroke (blood clots sent to the brain). Atrial fibrillation causes the atria to stop contracting and just quiver. This loss of pumping can lead to blood-clot formation in an atrium. The diagnosis of AF (or atrial flutter, a closely related heart-rhythm disorder) should lead you to a discussion with your doctor about anticoagulation to prevent the development of strokes.

A rhythm-control strategy is in place when you are given antiarrhythmics (medications that help maintain a normal rhythm) to prevent atrial fibrillation from happening; this strategy is ideal for patients with severe symptoms. Antiarrhythmics include flecainide, propafenone, amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide, and dronedarone. 

A rate-control strategy allows the presence of atrial fibrillation but prevents fast heart rates with medications to slow your heart rate; this is a good option for patients who do not feel their atrial fibrillation (three out of ten patients with atrial fibrillation may not have symptoms). Medications to help slow your heart while you are in atrial fibrillation include beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, atenolol, and carvedilol), calcium-channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem and verapamil), and digoxin.

An AV node ablation is reasonable to consider if you have exhausted attempts at rhythm control and you are having side effects from rate control agents or the atrial fibrillation is still difficult to control despite the rate control medicines. The AV node ablation involved electrically disconnecting the top chambers (the atria) from the bottom chambers (the ventricles). You will continue to have atrial fibrillation (and need anticoagulation) however, if the procedure is successful you will no longer have heart racing and be pacemaker-dependent the rest of your life. Actually, most patients do quite well after an AV node ablation and often feel better because they can often decrease the amount of medicines they require.

Hope this helps.