Hello Good People out there. Still looking for definitive statistics for the percentage of successful afib ablations based on authentic reputable large scale medical/clinical research. By successful I mean completely afib free and not having to take blood thinners or other medication.
Will appreciate it if this can be made clear once and for all. Thanks so very much.
Haverhill88
I don’t think there will be a definitive set of statistics based on your criteria as studies are based on patients being AF free after ablation for certain periods of time
Some studies suggest 80% plus success on the first ablation.
However there is cannot be a long term result statistic as ablation has not been an option for long enough for very long term statistics to be possible to be attainable.
You mention success without meds. This too would not necessarily be measured I don’t think. I for one am currently AF free but still taking Flecainide and I have no problem with that I spent years in PAF taking meds that did not alleviate the condition at all only perhaps reducing the frequency.
Finally warfarin and other anticoagulants (strictly speaking not blood thinners) continue to be advised and are not anything to do with control of AF. This is because an ex AF patient is still at risk of stroke potentially.
Pete
I Had 3 ablation in the space of 2 years
None worked for me to cure me of permanent A/fib but gradually as the heart healed and remodeled it became so much so much better
I agree you have a point that when we feel better we stop posting on sites that we relyed on so much when we needed reassuring
I think you may be looking for certaintities which don’t exist. Most people continue with anti-coagulation even if AF free after ablation.
No matter the stats, no study will tell you if it will work for you.
Agree totally with CDreamer. Most records talk of a five year AF free result whilst some EPs talk six months as success. Ablation has only really been around for about twenty years so what is long term?
Regarding drugs, whilst I have been AF and AF drug free these last nine years since my ablationS I would, never consider stopping anticoagulation as there is no proof that ablation removes stoke risk.
If you ever find the end of that rainbow please let us know!
Thanks very much for your feedback to date.
I have read various articles and reports that give the impression that ablation can "cure" afib and with this in mind I find your replies very interesting and helpful.
0% as it is almost impossible to prove somebody has never had even a few minutes of AF since their ablation ........
Statistics help the planners of health care not the individual. You can never prognosticate on your own position on the bell curve that dictates statistical results.
Hmmm..Never thought of it that way. Your insight makes sense. Thank you!
Ablation is really not a cure for Afib. It may however stop the symptoms. They burn or freeze fences around the areas that are depolarizing. That does not stop these areas from depolarizing. The pulse is still trying to get thru. If it does, it may require another ablation. That is a simplification but it is the way that I understand it. At this point in time, I feel that we have no other options. They really have no cure yet for Afib.
Thanks for your sensible and informative reply much appreciated!
No. I may have explained it wrong. The atrias should be beating in sinus rhythm after an afib ablation. The small areas that were ablated will still be depolarizing. Since they are isolated by the ablation, the depolarizing should not depolarize or fibrillate the atrias. In other words, the symptoms should be gone but I do not consider that a complete cure. If they could find out why these small areas depolarize on their own and stop the process, I would consider that a cure. This is only my opinion. I am sorry if I did not explain it clearly. It may be a matter of how we define cure, cause, and trigger.
Surgery over, no a fib
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