Aflutter abalation

[Salty0987]

Had afib abalation Oct 19th. Am now scheduled for abalation for flutter. I read that having an abalation for a flutter has a 60% chance of causing afib again. Could this possibly be true? Is there someone out there that had an abalation for afib, then another for flutter and then is going well or is this a vicious circle? 

[BobD Volunteer]

Not sure where that comes from Salty. Flutter ablation in the right atria can often STOP a fib. Never heard of it causing it.

[Salty0987 in reply to BobD]

BOb, I'm Reading to much on the Internet.....a little information is dangerous. I haven't  had any afib since the abalation but they want to do abalation to stop the flutter. It didn't make sense to me either but just checking.  Guess I am worrying to much. Thanks.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Salty0987]

Don't we all!

[nigelfarruca]

My flitter ablation was 100% successful. No AF for 7 months. Hope yours is equally successful.

[Duggie]

Hi, Had 2nd ablation for flutter 3- 4 weeks ago, (1st for Afib a year ago,)

All perfect so far, I was told flutter abaltion was the easiest of the two ops with nearly a 100% success rate. I was also told that the 1st ablaltion may have caused the Atrial flutter.  All positive here.

[Salty0987 in reply to Duggie]

Thank you for that. I must have gotten it backwards that the 1st abalation caused the flutter not the flutter causing afib. My  1st abalation  went very well and when I was on amiodrone things were great but had to stop it because it was causing eye side effects. I am hopeful the 2nd abalation does the trick. Thanks for your information.

[Duggie]

We all sit together with fingers crossed

[Kodaska]

I don't know what causes what, but after my successful flutter ablation in May of 2014 my cardio/EP said I had a 25% chance of developing AF at some unknown point in the future.  A few months after the ablation I started getting arrhythmias, which progressed to paroxysmal AF.  A second ablation in May 2015 cured the fibs.

The electrical issues with these dynamics are different.  As I was told, in flutter a signal races around the atrium like a switch with no "off" setting.  The signal for AF, on the other hand, often arises and spreads outward from the junction of the pulmonary veins and the right atrium - a different source with a different dynamic.

Strictly speaking, flutter and fib do not cause each other.  But - again, as I was told - if your heart's electrical system is what might be called overactive, it will find pathways for the electrical energy to follow.

I would say go ahead with the flutter ablation.