Finally ablated

[jimmysouthgates]

Well, just got back from MRI where I had a PvI ablation. I had the choice of RF or cryo and it's a Blooming good job I had RF. My upper left pulmonary vein has difficult anatomy so some creative ablating was performed. I'm not saying cryo wouldn't have done the job but I think artistic licence is able when using the RF method. I had issues with my BP during the procedure ? Vaso vagal...shed some light please, also, I had to have large doses of heparin during the transeptal puncture due to " ACT not to large doses of heparin " anyone shed some light on that one? I also went into at durin the PvI, is this common? Lots of questions I know but these may be common issues. Ta jimmy

[jimmysouthgates]

that should read went into af during the procedure

[jimmysouthgates]

That should also read ACT not responding to large doses of heparin. This predictive text is awful

[BobD Volunteer]

You may not have been aware but they do stimulate AF with a drug during ablation to track the areas which need ablating. Very common.

[jennydog]

Cryoablation wouldn't have worked on me either. I have conjoined pulmonary veins resulting in a big entry hole into the heart. Cryo balloon would be too small. I understand that up to 25% of people have this type of plumbing.

I also went in to AF during my RF ablation and had to be cardioverted.

Remember to rest, rest, rest and allow 3 months for your burnt heart to heal.

Best wishes.

[Lorna058 in reply to jennydog]

My plumbing is as you described, yet cryo was able to deal with it using a ' deep throat' technique, which worked fine, and also caused much hilarity on this site. No idea what that involves, EP called it 'challenging'!

[jimmysouthgates in reply to Lorna058]

That really has to be cardiologist humour at its finest

[Rellim296]

Hi Jimmy - I can't answer many of the questions, but it's good to see that you've got there at last and been done. I spent much of my first ablation going in and out of AF.

Have a restful and hopefully AF free recovery.

[jimmysouthgates in reply to Rellim296]

Thank you think Bob raised a very good point though. One of the rationales for an RF ablation was to seek out if I had flutter also, so maybe the ep did in fact induce it. PS am i being a tart cos I had a lot of pain when they were ablating? Even though I had midazolam and fentanyl

[Rellim296 in reply to jimmysouthgates]

I'm imagining ablation is a bit like welding, so I would think it doesn't take much of a burn for one to notice it, even when sedated. Perhaps you don't babble in a distracting way when slightly under the influence and they can get by with not giving you very much.