How do they do mapping for ablation

[Moonriver]

Is this done with ct scan and contrast injection or can they use a TOE to find the rogue signals and ablate them? What do they see when spotting the af signals?

[BobD Volunteer]

So many questions.Knowledge is power. Good.

A lot of EPs will do a CT scan or MRI before the ablation to produce a 3D model of the heart but this is overlaid on the screen to assist them finding their way around inside. The TOE is to check for any possible clots in the LAA before they start and not connected with the procedure. The EP study or mapping is usually done with a sensitive catheter which they move around inside the atria to try and locate the rogue impulses. This is why is is often useful if you are in AF at the time of the ablation. If not then they infuse a drug (I wont bother you with its name ) which causes AF in most people even if they don;t have it! Don't worry about it making things worse as the moment they stop infusing the AF will stop in healthy people. It is just that this enables them to find the spots that are firing off so they can ablate. Now many out there will never have heard this and maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it but there you go . Big mouth Dove again. ( I had to proof read a paper on this very thing a while back otherwise I wouldn't have known about it. )

Bob

[Hidden]

Hi, There is a new technique called FIRM ablation, They map using an ecg type machine so its non invasive. It is now available in UK. My understanding is that the machine picks out focal points and impulses or rotors or something like that, the problem areas of the heart that set off the others, and then they go in and take out those hot spots. One of the team who have been trialling it abroad before it came here, and is doing the op here now, is my Cardio Dr. He tells me it takes as long for the whole procedure as standard catheter version, but the burn time is reduced. Don't know if this is any help or not, Im not technically minded but you can learn more online.

Wishing you success.

Carole