Cryo versus heat ablation

[Georgia21]

May I just ask all you lovely people, has anyone had two ablations? And was your first one cryo and the second one heat ?

[BobD Volunteer]

This is very common and explained thus.

The cryo balloon can only create scar tissue where it touches in the entrances to the four pulmonay veins. This pre supposes that you have four nice concentric veins which would be nice but not a given.

Where gaps are evident a follow up RF ablation is often needs to close any gaps and treat any rogue signals coming from other areas within the atrium.

[Georgia21 in reply to BobD]

Thank you BobD. I was starting to panic as I was told on Thursday that I now need another ablation. Trouble is I know what's coming now and they won't knock me out. I've read on the info leaflet they give you that there's a bigger risk of complications from the RF, hence I will.be panicking until it is done

[Cally53 in reply to Georgia21]

I was given a general anaesthetic for my RF ablation, my consultant said he needed me to be very still whilst he did it.

[Cally53]

I have had both, my RF ablation was 3 weeks ago. They were only able to ablate 2 veins the first time as the other two were too difficult to get to. As Bob has said, the second ablation closed gaps left from the first one and ablated the other two veins as well. Although apparently I am still left with a signal coming from higher up in the atrium, which I will discuss with my EP at review.

[Georgia21 in reply to Cally53]

Thank you, apparently mine have reconnected and get worse unless I have it done as I'm limited as to what I can take due to adverse side effects.

[Cally53 in reply to Georgia21]

I take both bisoprolol and flecainide as pips. I take nothing else.

[Cookie24]

I had a cryoablation for afib and then a radiofrequency for atypical flutter.