RF Ablation pros and cons in 2020

[Slattery]

My first ablation was a Cryogenic ablation which lasted 7 months. My doctor wants to do a second ablation using RF this time. What are the pros and cons of RF ablation? Is the healing time the same as a Cryo ablation?

[Hidden]

It’s not unusual to need a follow up RF ablation a after a cryoablation. The expanding balloon used does not always make contact with all of the tissue around the pulmonary veins therefore a “touch up” procedure is carried out, very often under a general anaesthetic. I have had both, and the overall recovery process was very similar, although it did take a little longer to get over the effects of the GA.

[Slattery in reply to Hidden]

Did the RF procedure work for you?

[Hidden in reply to Slattery]

I may need a third but that largely depends on how I recover from overactive thyroid treatment. You need to bear in mind that we are all different and therefore react differently to treatment.

[Rubymurray25]

My experience is very similar to FlapJack although I don't have the Thyroid issue. I'm down for a third and as I trust my Consultant cardiologist will go with whatever he suggests. I was also disappointed when my first lasted only 6 months but the more I read on this forum, the more I understand the complexities of it all. Do hope your second one does the trick and the healing is speedy, both of mine were healed quickly although with the second i did take it more cautiously.

Good luck .

[Hidden]

My EP will only do RF ablation as he says it gives him more control.

3.5 years in nsr and I trust his judgement

[tcpace in reply to Hidden]

I'm no medic but based on my wife's experience, RF (plus the mapping) allows the EP to home in more precisely on the areas needing attention. GA is essential so that the EP is freed up from worrying about pain for the patient. Cryo probably destroys tissue that does not actually need treatment. Plus cryo seems to be associated with more risk of phrenic nerve damage. My wife's RF follow up to Cryo has been very successful (touch wood). Now 3 years since she had the RF.

[MarkS]

I had both cryo and RF at the same time under sedation and it worked well. Unlike cryo, the success of RF depends a lot more on the skill of the operator, so make sure your EP has plenty of ablations under his belt, and he actually does it and not some minion "under his supervision". I would expect the RF to take a little longer to recover if he has to go outside the PV's, perhaps a little quicker if you just have sedation.

[Slattery]

Great information, thank you all so much!