Confused after Ablation today

[chris45558]

I had my ablation today at Bristol for SVT. I knew it was going to plan while on the table. The pathway they said was too near the junction box (Dr's words) so they stopped burning and changed it to freezing. He said that he doesn't know if it has been a success as he was unable to do much as he did want me to have to have a pacemaker.

He mention complete heart block when he had done the freezing. ..Sorry no idea of the correct terminology. He said its keep your fingers crossed it was a success.

I never has chance to talk about to him much after as he was starting another one and wheeling me out.

I'm confused what he meant by complete heart block . He didn't seem too worried or am I getting confused as I was still sedated

[Paulbounce]

I'm unable to help with this one Chris - I don't know the answers. However I do know this ! Sedation can take 24 hours to clear from the body. The best thing you can you do is try and get a good nights sleep and wake up with a clear head in the morning. I think the motto ' sleep on it' is a good idea for you tonight. It's important to relax after an ablation and take things easy.

Well done for having the procedure done - I should think it's a great relief to have it over and done with. Many people have great results from it - I'm sure you'll be one of them

Paul

[chris45558 in reply to Paulbounce]

Thanks Paul. .I need a good sleep

[higgy52]

Iv'e herd there are 3 stages of Heart block, if you Google Heart block it will give you the info,

good luck

[chris45558 in reply to higgy52]

Hi I have Googled it but I don't know what it meant while having an ablation.

[Ppiman]

The following is what I understand from reading.

Given the doctor’s comments, the heart block he found (which is just another electrical conduction issue) is likely to be of no consequence, so breathe easy. I gather many people have this who don’t know it and never will.

The right-top chamber of the heart (right atrium) has a large vein entering it that brings oxygenated blood from the lungs (the pulmonary vein). This is where some of the electrical problems that causes atrial fibrillation can begin - but doctors won’t do a burning ablation too close in fear of scar tissue forming (which in the early days caused problems with a severe narrowing the vein), so freezing is, I suspect, the only safe option.

Overall, I’d say you’ll be fine - really.

[chris45558 in reply to Ppiman]

Thank you for that

[Buffafly in reply to Ppiman]

I don't think you have got that quite right? The 'junction box' would be the AV node I think, it's the thing they burn after you have a pacemaker for 'pace and ablate'.

[Ppiman in reply to Buffafly]

Yes - that sounds a better explanation for “junction box“. I’d think similar risks were there, then?

Hopefully, the EP cardiologist will have written a full report to Chris’s GP by now, so that should be his next port of call for a proper medical explanation.

I feel sure he’ll be absolutely fine from what was done. Let’s hope sufficient ablation was carried out to stop or reduce the arrhythmia.

Steve

[fairgo45]

Where's BobD he knows everything

[Hidden]

In your position I would ask for clarification of the situation and to speak to the EP. Hospitals are not supposed to give out information to patients still under the effects of sedation or anaesthetic and it is surely reasonable for you to be given a clear picture of what took place and what the prognosis is.

[chris45558 in reply to Hidden]

Hi I will get in touch with them today

[Ecki]

Ppiman is not quite correct in his description of the heart. The two top Chambers, the atria, are the usual source of the false electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Atrial fibrillation usually originates in the left atrium. This has the 4 pulmonary veins coming into it, bringing oxygenated blood from the lungs. The tissue around the PVs is where the electrical signals originate and during an ablation this is the tissue that is burnt to produce scars which prevent these signals. It's sometimes called pulmonary vein isolation or PVI.

The right atrium is where deoxygenated blood from the body comes into the heart prior to going to the lungs and is where electrical signals that cause atrial flutter originate.

Heart block is where the electrical signals from the atria are not getting through to the ventricles in the bottom half of the heart. There are different levels of heart block. I don't know a lot about it, but I think if it's severe it can be fixed with a pacemaker.