Hi, the replies to my last post about my upcoming ablation were very useful thank you
I'm probably over thinking things again, but due to have a 1st ablation in Feb , I can't seem to stop over analysing things, my nature is that I like to know every detail inside out and my latest concern is this.
Am i right in thinking an entry is made into the femural artery in the groin to enable the catheters to be inserted, how on earth do they seal this after the procedure? as its a big vein that carries a lot of blood, and considering i will be on anticoagulants for a month before....do they stitch it?
Thanks in advance and sorry to be asking loads of questions.
Cheers Sam
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Simoni
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Hi Sam, the entry is made through a vein not artery. I've had 4 ablations and had stitches fir my last 2 which were removed later on the ward. Normally, heavy pressure on the entry site afterwards is sufficient to stop the flow of blood.You will be closely monitored for bleeding afterwards so don't worry !
Mine was dressed with what looked a bit like clingfilm but of course it wasn’t. I think I was told to remove it a couple of days after the procedure. It’s very important not to do anything that could strain the groin area for couple of weeks. I assume you are familiar with the two infamous fact sheets……
Femoral Vein actually. Quick explaination. In order to arrive at the left atrium they first go into the right atrium and then punch a tiny hole through the septum between chambers. Since all arteries start at the left ventricle and all veins end up in the right atrium it is obvious they will go into a main vein. After the catheter has been removed they apply pressure either manually or using a device called a femstop which is like a giant clamp t presson the area.
If you want to know all there is about the procedure then go to AF Association main website and look under patient resources where you will find a booklet on all aspects of ablation.
Yes after pressure by a nurses hand wasn’t working they used the Femstop contraption on me.
To be honest at that stage of the procedure either just recovering from anaesthesia or sedation I didn’t have a care in the world and therefore just let it all happen around me.
I had them go through both the femoral vein and artery. The femoral vein was fine with pressure applied externally and lying flat for required time. The femoral artery was different. They put a collagen plug in the ‘hole’ they had made in the blood vessel. I had to carry a card around with this information on for 3 months after the procedure. There were no problems and it did not feel any different to the femoral vein entry. I was completely unaware of the difference in treatment until after the procedure when I was given the card. Hope this helps
Mine was quite funny. After my ablation I had to lie still for maybe 2 or 3 hours so that the wound had time to heal. Just as I was about to leave I walked gently to the desk to phone for a lift. Just as I was on the phone, whoosh, blood pouring down my leg. Postponed lift, back to bed for another hour with pressure applied. All ok the second time.
Yes my wife had a procedure using femstop and had to lie on her back and as still as possible for 6 hours - it was longer in the end because that took her to night time. She was lucky to have no problems with the site - hardly even a bruise but her Doc was a star and held up the procedure because they didn't have enough of the correct size catheters and he wouldn't use ones that he considered too large for her( he actually had to send a nurse into the Cardiology department to get enough catheters of the correct size - tiddly thin ones which meant t he procedure took a long time to do the job - she is too tiny - the woman who can't find small enough socks gloves and shoes and ends up in the childrens' departments!
It's good to hear that the doctor waited for the correct equipment. They used a femstop on me on my first procedure, like your wife, hardly a bruise. They didn't this time and my bruising is enormous. I know which I would prefer! 😳
I've got to say that the team who looked after my wife were absolutely wonderful from the top down care before and for 2 years after the procedure was exemplary. I know we knock the NHS a lot and quite often that is justified but we often do not give credit where credit is due. Unfortunately about 3 or 4 years after she had her procedure this team was disbanded by the powers that be meaning that otherw omen were not likely to get this procedure and I imagine no more Doctors were trained by this wonderful team to do the procedure - this is definitely shortsightedness by the people heading that University hospital Admin but the NHS workers on the"coal face" are brilliant.
I have always had good care from the NHS, even if I have had to go to different hospitals to get it. One brother with bladder cancer is getting excellent treatment, another brother with prostate cancer at the start of his journey is being seen tomorrow, less than 2 weeks from referral. You can't knock that.
Don't worry. When I had my afib ablation I was alongside the screen with the maps of the body / heart to my left. I was chatting to the anaesthatist also on my left as I was hooked up to the sedation in my left arm , who was pointing things out to me on the screen , and he just suddenly said, " there - the catheters in your heart" . I did not even know they had started! I never felt the local anaesthetic go in never mind the catheters!
I had no trouble with bleeding at all afterwards. I just lay still as instructed. I went home the same day after the nurses checked the wound and I had a little walk with the nurse around to ensure it was closed enough to move. They do not want you to have a leak outside the hospital . You are not allowed to drive for 48 hours after because of this . So my wife had to collect me . I think it was 4 to 4 .5 hours before I was released ( take a book! ) but I live over an hour away from the hospital so it was later when I actually left. Once home the instructions are go upstairs directly to bed. Remain there for 24 hours. DO NOT GO DOWNSTAIRS in that period as going downstairs puts more pressure on the groin area than going up.
They are more concerned with instructions on the groin than telling you anything about the heart. They will give you a leaflet with all this on when you leave.
The first ablation the nurses just applied firm pressure and I had to lie still 5-6 hours. I kept asking can I get up because I had to pee. I did not have a catheter. I did get a giant bruise on my thigh. The second ablation I had a catheter and had to lie still for 5-6 hours. When I got up blood starting gushing and nurse came in and applied more pressure to stop the bleeding. For some reason I had no bruise with the second ablation. Both times I was very groggy from GA so it didn't bother me.
They used a femstop with me too. They had trouble getting 2 probes down my right vein so had to go in the left hand side also. My blood pressure dropped to 70 systolic so they kept me in over night to make sure it went down. I felt utterly rubbish because of it but was ok by the morning.
In terms of the wound it’s ridiculously small and you can’t even see the left one now where as the right is very slightly bigger but can barely see that either 👍
Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply with your explanations/experiences of the Vein catheterisation and healing procedures....i'll make sure i lie still for at least as long as they tell me to!! people on here are so helpful...thanks again...Regards Sam
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