One more time?

[CCW66]

Considering a second ablation. First one semi worked but still on meds and bi-weekly very shorts episodes. Is the second any different than the first?

[djbgatekeeper]

Hi there CCW66, I had my first ablation 18 days ago, the consultant told me that if I needed a second one it would be for touching up rather than like the first one which was done with a expandable balloon to form a complete (hopefully) barrier to the rogue signals. The first one was a cryoablation so using a freezing technique and the second if needed is for touching up any tiny gaps remaining and would be using RF i.e burning. So in short in the eyes of my consultant two very different processes the second basically is just to mop up! Hope that helps and I'm sure your hospital contacts would be able to clarify specifics for you as they may differ from my experience at Liverpool chest and heart hospital in the UK. Best of luck ....Dave.

[CCW66 in reply to djbgatekeeper]

Thank you Dave. Good luck to you—hope your first does the trick!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to djbgatekeeper]

Just to clarify, Cryo ablation can not deal with any areas other than the entrances to the four pulmonary veins. Some people have difficult veins which may be conjoined or a peculiar shape which the balloon can't seal to . Also there may be areas other than the PVs which are firing off and for those RF is needed. A line is often drawn across the atria as a barrier to these.

[CCW66 in reply to BobD]

Thx Bob. Your posts are so helpful.

[Coco51]

In my case the second (just over a year ago) was very different. The first was for PV and Atrial roofline (radio frequency not cryo). The second which was 18 months later took in lots of other areas which were firing off like the septum, the mitral isthmus and others. It seems to have worked better than the first so far.

[CCW66 in reply to Coco51]

Thank you Janet. Are you in the US? If so, please tell me where you went for this more extensive ablation.

Best

CCW

[Coco51 in reply to CCW66]

Hi CCW. I am not in the States I'm afraid. I live in the UK and both ablations were performed here under the NHS. Both were done by the same EP at St George's Hospital., London. As I understand it, his approach was to do the PVI - pulmonary vein isolation - first as for many people it works OK. Then if necessary do the more extensive one(s) later. Some EPs are starting to go for the big one first but others think it could be overtreatment to do that. I'm guessing you'll want to find a US EP. But if you want details of mine I'll PM you.

Best wishes

Janet

[CCW66 in reply to Coco51]

Thank you. I have a couple of good ones here but always looking for more !