Pace and ablate more info please of the procedure ie surgery and how it’s carried out

[Hardjuice]

Pace and ablate

Could someone describe the process of this procedure in detail please I’ve asked this earlier in another post but it must have been lost in the thread

I’m told it’s not a long procedure

Thanks in advance

[BobD Volunteer]

My understadning is that a pacemaker is installed as a first step and after a suitable period of time once the leads are firmly embedded and all is working properly then the AV node is ablated by catheter ablation. Since the AV node is in the right side this is a relative quick procedure. A catheter is inserted into a femoral vein and fed up into your heart (right atrium) where the AV node is ablated by heat. You will of course then be PM dependent although you would not die if it failed, just have a very low HR and likely by unable to function too well.

So to re-cap. install PM first. wait a few weeks, catheter ablation to burn out AV Node.

[Hardjuice in reply to BobD]

Thanks bob

That about how I’ve picked things up my Main issue is feet and lower limb swellings due to drugs

Tried a spell without drugs at all and my legs returned to normal but of course my heart rate was too high just cutting the grass

So dropped back on to drugs

Which I hate

I need to keep working for a few years and kneeling is par for the course which restricts circulation anyway so looking at pace and ablate to be able to drop the drugs

No guarantee my legs will be ok but I’m hopeful

But apart from my legs I do manage AF pretty well

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Hardjuice]

You will still need anticoagulation and there is no guarantee you would be able to stop other drugs . Any and all treatment for AF is only ever about quality of life.

[Hardjuice in reply to BobD]

Agree

Bob

Thanks

[IanMK in reply to Hardjuice]

I’m not medically qualified but I’d say it’s highly unlikely that your drugs would be stopped immediately. You don’t say what you are taking or what condition you had pre-PM, but my drugs aren’t being reviewed until 6 months post-PM.

[seasider18 in reply to Hardjuice]

Was one of the drugs Diltiazem. It is notorious for causing legs to swell.

[Hardjuice in reply to seasider18]

Yes it is can’t take others because of asthma but my lower limbs are shocking at times because of the nature of my work and the drug of course

[seasider18 in reply to Hardjuice]

When I was in to have my pacemaker fitted a patient came in with badly swollen legs. He had also been having dizzy spells had a fall and had broken his clavicle. The consultant who was on that weekend immediately blamed Diltiazem. Meanwhile on my side of the ward another doctor was prescribing it for me ! My GP twice reduced my dosage but it was still giving me problems and I was soon taken off it.

[Eastwick]

I had a pace and ablate 5 years ago and am so glad I did. I waited one month after the pacemaker was fitted before the av node ablation. It was 3 months before I could resume playing golf so I guess it would be the same for any strenuous activity. Very scared when I took my first swing that I would undo everything! Yes it is worrying to think that we are totally dependant on it, but you soon get used to the fact and stop worrying about it. Don’t now take any drugs apart from xarelto.

[Hardjuice in reply to Eastwick]

Thanks

How did he carry out the ablation through the groin or elsewhere and how long did it take

[Eastwick in reply to Hardjuice]

This ablation was a very short affair compared to the others. I don’t believe that he took more than 45 mins to complete it. Went in through the groin. Much less painful than the others too.