Ablation

[RoyM]

I know this question is basic and may make me look stupid but what is a Ablation and does it "cure" AF and is it really for people in permanent AF. I would really appreciate an explanation. Thank you.

[excalibur]

Will leave someone who has had one to go through the technical details but as someone who has had persistent/permanent AF for 14 years: I have been advised several times that it might after several attempts "cure" my AF, but there are risks also that ablation could make it worse. As my AF even though it is now permanent doesn't trouble me too much I've decided not to pursue ablation. But I'm keeping it under review should my condition change. I think it's a discussion you need to have with your EP. The AF website has documents on ablation you can read up on first.

Hope this helps

Lance

[RoyM in reply to excalibur]

Thanks Lance appreciate your reply.

Roy

[jimmysouthgates]

Im on a waiting list to have an ablation. Basically your electrophysiologist enters your circulatory system via a major vein, in most cases the groin area. A small catheter is fed up the vein and into the heart. The catheter enter the heart in the right atria. Now, in my case my ep thinks the pulmonary veins are causing the af, tbese are in the left atria so the ep makes z transeptal puncture and will move across into the other side. Once in the left atria the the catheter is used to destroy or ablate areas around the pulmoary veins so electrical impulses cant pass through the tissue. They cause scars if you will by destroying the tissue, the theory is impulses cant conduct through the damaged area. Its not always in this location but this is a common area. As for cure, lots of factors surrounded that holy grail, only time will tell but it can. I would aim for an improvement rather than cure. Good thing is were getting better year by year. Keep smiling, J

[seasider18]

The British Heart Foundation (bhf.org.uk) publish a series of free booklets about all heart conditions, tests, medications and treatments. Many GP surgeries and all hospitals have them or you can request them from bhf.org or download them.

[AnticoagulateNow]

Certainly, it's not for everyone and only a discussion with your EP can determine whether or not it is for you. It would seem that the longer you have AF - especially persistent/permanent AF - the less likely are the chances that it will work. So, in short, the earlier it is done the better are your chances of having a successful outcome. I think there's a reluctance to use the 'cure' word simply because the procedure has only been carried out widely for the last 10 years or thereabouts, so there isn't a huge number of people who have had an ablation(s), lived a full life and died naturally, free of AF. And for many, only that would define a cure.

But, throw care to the wind. I had my ablation nearly 5 months ago and you know what? I'm cured!

[bridget54]

I had my ablation 6 months ago after many years in AF or SVT . Now off all medication and apart from a few ectopic beats NO AF.

Fingers crossed whilst I say this

[Devine75 in reply to bridget54]

Did you continue to have symptoms after ablation? If so how long for I am 5 days post 2nd ablation x

[RoyM]

Thanks everyone, I am now a little bit wiser. I will do as suggested and ask my GP to refer me to an EP.

Roy

[TK517 in reply to RoyM]

Ablation by a notable EP is a must! Mine was great, it took two but I don't have AF anymore.

[BobD Volunteer]

Roy if you go to the main AF Association website there is a publication which fully explains all the different ways that ablation can be done along with any risks etc. As a successful ablatee I am a great fan as living without drugs (anticoagulant aside) gives a great improvement in quality of life. I would argue that ablation is NOT a cure for AF, it merely stops the symptoms and how permanent that is one can never tell. For some people one procedure may well give life long relief but for others repeats may well be necessary. It should also be remembered that AF is not the only arrhythmia and whilst stopping AF one may well be left with others. It really is a balance between symptoms and QOL but if you are in permanent AF the prognosis would not be very good.

By the way you don't look stupid. I once mentioned to a nurse that I'd had an ablation and she thought I was talking about varicose veins!

[RoyM]

Thanks for the information Bob most useful.

Roy

[Hidden]

I can't help with the technical detail at all, but my PVI ablation 12 years ago for 24/7 (and bad) AF completely worked and did so immediately. I came off all drugs (except anti-coagulants) until recently. I now have another type of arrhythmia which is being controlled by drugs at the moment .

So was it a cure? In a sense for me, yes, but only for 8-9 years, because I had no symptoms and no drugs.

Koll

[RoyM in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Koll much appreciate your reply. Roy

[TK517]

Catheter ablation is a procedure that uses radiofrequency energy (similar to microwave heat) to destroy a small area of heart tissue that is causing rapid and irregular heartbeats. Destroying this tissue helps restore your heart's regular rhythm.

Many times the procedure needs to be done more than once. I have had two and the second one seems to have worked completely. Mine was done by Dr Jonathan Sussman at Morristown Medical Center (Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute). If you live in NJ it is arguably the best heart care hospital in the state. AF sucks, I know it well. Between the feeling like you are dying and the panic and stress it causes is second to none. I am so happy to be off Eliquis (still one adult Bayer Asprin a day) and Flecanide (which can make you dizzy and stir up panic attacks). I take a Beta Blocker twice a day, no big deal. This may sound strange but do not eat ice cream really fast, it can bring on an instance of rapid heart beat or AF. Watch the booze, and DONT SMOKE CIGS! That goes without saying. Any other questions about the procedure I can tell you all of it.

[RoyM]

Thanks TK much appreciated. I agree with you there are certain triggers and for me it is food mainly, potatoes are the real villain, I have stopped alcohol completely and never smoked at all. Thanks once again ps I have P AF.

[Hidden]

No, Never think when you are striving for truth, that you could look stupid. I searched for 50 years in the then ignorance of the medical profession, before the electo- physiological breakthrough came,. I I learnt a lot about life itself in the expoerience!

Results of oblations are all different as this electrically controlled nervous networks is very complicated!

Since the breakthrough, I have observed many who are successfully free of the irregular heartbeats & very few who are helped but not entirely healed. Also, some have to have it done more than once.

But, we can be grateful that this is now as progressed as it is, and for the dedicated Drs. who do such incredibly brilliant & fine procedures on us.

Truely, we are wonderfully made & I pray along those lines that God will guide these wonderful Drs. & for all who are in their hands, just as I prayed all those years for the original breakthrough! Blessings, Janet

[Mrbill757]

Ablation cauterizies nodes in the heart that are responsible for misdirecting the normal path of electrical signals. My cardio doc says that its now the first line of treatment if a person goes into afib for the first time and doesn't come out of it. Drugs used to be the first line of treatment. But ablation is surgery. It's invasive and things can go wrong. Its often is successful but even if it is, often times the person having had it will go back into it. I've been an afib guy for about 15 years now, but drugs have been quite effective for me. I've only had 3 incidents of it during this time. But I must caution you. One size does not fit all. Treatment depends upon what problems a patient has. The less problems, the greater chance of successful treatment. In addition, each person's chemistry is different. How one drug affects a person, might affect others differently. If a patient has other problems like bad valves or other problems treatment will be quite different than for a person having "lone afib", meaning there are absolutely no problems with his/her heart or other vital organs or systems. So doing ablation might not be the right treatment depending upon the person's medical situation. Since electricity in a person's body is generated by chemistry which depends on the chemicals in the food one eats, I believe that food, which contains the life sustaining things we need like fiber, fat, vitamins and minerals, directly affect how the body maintains the electrical currents in the heart. There's also another factor, that being how the body processes the chemistry. Even though there might be sufficient intake of the right kinds of food, the body might not be assimilating it correctly and may need more than what its getting every day. For this reason and due to research I've done and talking about it wit my doc, I supplement my diet with extra magnesium. There's difffering kinds out there so make sure you get magnesium oxide. The over the counter stuff is just like the kind you get if prescribed by your doc, but a bit cheaper actually. Besides, med insurance will not pay for supplements. Research shows most people have a significant difficiency of mg in their blood. The last time I went into afib I had my doc include mg levels in my bloodwork. Sure enuf, it was quite low. That's when I began taking mg and have been free of not only afib, but pacs and pvcs that I often felt prior to taking mg. Hope this helps.

[RoyM]

Great reply Bill...lots and lots of information to digest. Thank you very much appreciated. Roy