Ablation

[Juniper57]

I had an ablation 2 years ago, I have PAF the ABLATION was for Atrial Flutter, it's not gone away and now I have Atrial Fibrillation. In December I'm having another Ablation. I'm more anxious about this one as I understand the risks seem to be higher. I'm on Bisoprol and Fleicanide, also Warfarin. Can anyone tell me how long this procedure takes?

[Rellim296]

Times vary a lot. Anything from an hour and a half to six hours or more.

The risks may be higher but may still be low. If the risk goes from 1% to 2%, it has doubled!

[Kodaska]

That depends in part on your heart. My first ablation was for flutter, second one a year later for PAF. The second took about 3-1/2 hours, which is somewhat on the shorter side. Doc said it helped a lot that my heart has such good structure. He could see and get to the right places easily. Of course, by "see" I'm referring to the 3-D model that was created from the earlier CATscan.

Ask your doc - you should get better answers than anything we can tell you here.

[RobertELee]

We mustn't overly scare ourselves. Remember that the quoted risks are 'risks of complications', not risks that you won't be waking up! And most of these complications, can be dealt with by the EP. Some are more serious than others of course, such as a stroke, but again, you couldn't be in a better place to have your stroke. Such incidents are really very rare.

[BobD Volunteer]

Firstly you should go to AF Association website and "read all abart it" as knowledge is power. For a thumbnail sketch, flutter ablation takes place in the right atrium which is the first chamber the catheter arrives at from the vein. To gain access to the left atrium the EP needs to punch through the septum between the two atria which adds a complication. Whereas flutter ablations can take as little as an hour PVI generally takes from three to four hours although in difficult cases this may take considerably longer.

There are risks in everything we do and as I say very often many of those stated are theoretical risks and explained to you only so that you or your relatives can't sue the doctor, such is our dreadfully litigious society.

Nobody can predict how long your ablation may take as we are all different both in the physiology of our heart and the electrical disturbance but you are in a very well organised high tec facility and either heavily sedated or under GA. Had I not asked I would not have known how long any of mine three took as I was away with the fairies as you most likely will be.

Bob

[froggy4x4 in reply to BobD]

Always a wealth of information you are Bob and even 12 months after my ablation and thinking I new just about everything AF... you come along and add more and more fantastic, helpful information to this forum - along with others of course, but you seem to stand out mate. I have to say I have learned more from this forum about AF than any Cardiologist I've consulted with. That said the Bulgarian Cardiologist that ended up performing my Ablation was pretty good.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to froggy4x4]

Why thank you kind sir. We aim to please. I just never want anybody to lack as I did way back when.

[PeterWh in reply to froggy4x4]

It is 100% certain that you are going to learn more from this site than from any consultant for many reasons. Firstly they don't have the time and even if they did have the time we wouldn't be able to listen and retain the information if they talked to us for an hour solid. Also they are focussed on a small field of expertise with significant knowledge and gain experience as their career progresses and medical knowledge progresses. Particularly with AF it is no where near a one case fits all scenario which makes it different (and more interesting for them but adding new challenges).

Also they don't know the individual in detail - could that person handle it? There are some people who don't want to know anything and will go blindly on. I know of one person in her 70s whose friend's husband had AF and other heart problems. They all went out for a pub lunch now and again and one week they went out and he was carful about what he ate (as usual). However he died about 5 days later and her comment was see he could have had chips and salt and eaten all the other foods he stopped. Well to my mind totally missing the point yes we will all die someday but its about extending life and getting the best out of it!!!

I believe that the majority of people on here want to actively manage their condition(s) and change things so that they can get the best out of life and minimise the effect of that affliction called AF!!!

[Annaelizabeth in reply to BobD]

Can ectopics be ablated?

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Annaelizabeth]

Not to my knowledge.

[Annaelizabeth in reply to BobD]

Rather what I thought, thank you for confirming.

[Juniper57 in reply to BobD]

I will look on the website, thanks for all responses to my questions.