different treatment for paf

[hypomans]

i expect many of you saw the article in the mail yesterday (22/05) about a different treatment for paf with a tiny balloon that releases gas that freezes the heart area that causes af rather than using the heat of an ablation. i just wondered if people have read it and are there any opinions about the article which seems better than an ablation. the procedure takes 90 minutes instead of 3 hours which must be a plus.

[doodle68]

Hi hypomans I guess you mean this article....

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

It is talking about cardiac cryoablation which I don't think is a new procedure. However, Worcester RH mentioned in the article only started carrying out the procedure in March this year so the team there haven't had a lot of practice as yet.

worcesternews.co.uk/news/16...

I found comment a bit concerning...

''The trust spokesman confirmed that the process has a 70 per cent long term success rate in correcting abnormal heart rhythm. Once the cardiac cryoablation has been performed, patients have follow-up appointments to check on how they responded to it. If a patient needs a repeat procedure they would have to go to the hospital at Coventry for a different technique ''

Worcester only began doing catheter ablations just a year ago..

eveshamobserver.co.uk/news/...

I wonder what the 'different technique 'offered by Coventry is if not one of the two procedures offered by Worcester.

[BobD Volunteer]

Cryo ablation has been around for years and I think was pioneered in UK by Prof Richard Schilling at Barts. It has limitations in that only the four pulmonary veins can be treated but is usually used for a first ablation with RF maybe as a top up to deal with any other areas causing problems at a later date. Go to AF Association website and read the booklet on ablation techniques to learn more about this and other methods.

[wilsond in reply to BobD]

Thats what I am on waiting list for at Coventry!interesting