I've had three failed ablations in last three years lasting respectively 9, 5 and 3 months. Of the drugs I can take only amiodarone is left. My EP has offered me a fourth ablation but I'm wary of trying the same thing again so I am going to ask for a second opinion. So my question is Bart's or Norwich or Leicester? Any feedback on any of these and do any of them do the.minimaze?
Cheers and good health to you all x
none of them do mini maze that I am aware of. I can recommend Mr Hunter at Norther General (Sheffield). If you can get your GP to refer you to him you can see him in NHS. Otherwise I can provide you with his private details. There are a few other surgeons - Plymouth, Brighton, Liverpool for example but I could not find enough information on then doing any volume. Mr Hunter is the most experienced in the UK good luck and PM me if I can help. Alison
Thank you so much for that info xx glad it's going well for you 👍
My brilliant EP In Southampton came from Barts so my vote is for Barts.
sorry to hear that. Hope you get things sorted. The guys at Coventry are good. Proffesor osman is renowned as a top ep. Fingers crossed for you I can give you his details to see him privately initially ?
Thank you
I was offered the Hybrid Convergent Ablation at UCHW, similar to MummyLuv's op. Surgeon is Tom Barker who does the main op but the EP team are great, including Professor Osman as mentioned but my EP is Shamil Yusuf.
I'm waiting on a scan to re-check my valve function before they will re-offer it. If I need valve repair, they will do a Cox iv maze instead.
Personally I can thoroughly recommend Norwich under either Dr Raine or Dr Till
Thank you
Sorry to hear they have not worked. As you mentioned, Norwich and Leicester I guess you are roughly the same area as me - (East Anglia) have you considered Papworth? I am under Patrick Heck - he is a Cardio EP and recommended as is Papworth.
I'm under Papworth and I think they are excellent. I was going to ask to see Dr Heck but my EP said a separate hospital would be better for a second opinion to be truly independent. I'm pretty sure they'll agree with Papworth but I just wanted to double check. Thank you
hi
I see from your post that you are under Patrick Heck. I am new AF (persistent) and have booked a self funded private appointment with him in 2 weeks. How do you get on with him? Are you impressed with him and the recommendations? Regards Seaton Rover
I know your question wasn't for me, but a work colleague sees Dr Heck and rates him. I've seen Drs Finn, Begley, Mellor and Agarwal (all Papworth EPs) and felt well treated by them all despite the failure of my ablations.
Thanks 
I thought he was really good, helpful and informative, I am under him for ectopics, but a good friend recommended him as he is under him for persistent AF and also finds him very good. I saw him privately but I also am under him in the NHS. Would definitely recommend.
Thank you, that's reassuring
very welcome. Hope all goes well.
Leicester don’t offer an alternative to ablation apart from pace and ablate, which is way I’m going to Sheffield, I did also contact Coventry and Warwick. As far as I’m aware Bart’s is hot on the tail of papworth with the pulse field ablation, there been some healthy banter between them. Sorry I have minimal knowledge about Norwich
Thank you
personally I recommend Dr Raine Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. He recently did my Ablation, excellent all round. I have just had my follow up appointment and been given the option of contacting his secretary direct if I have any concerns in the future to arrange an appointment.
Thank you
North staffs? Thats Stoke on Trent. Dr Morley-Davies did a PVI on me. 10/10 in my book.
Thank you
I only had one ablation (so far) and that was over 20 years ago at St Barts and they were very good. I obviously cannot comment on the others. Wishing you the best.
wow. It worked for 20 Years! I'll have one of those please! Thanks for reply
Barts! They are absolutely top of the tree so far as heart stuff is concerned with a world class reputation. I haven’t had a procedure with them, but the consultants are always excellent. They get a higher than average success rate for ablations according to their website.
that's very interesting. Thank you
glenfield hospital leicester every time both my husband and i have had our heart operations there,best of luck
thank you for that info x
I've only experienced Norwich. Absolutely first class. After 3 years of continuous, persistent AF........... Cryo ablation under sedation, Feb 2020.
RF ablation under GA, Sept 2020. Flutter ablation, under sedation, Jan 2021.
Lovely, caring staff.
My 2 year celebration of NSR, today, 14th Jan !
So happy for you. Thank you for sharing
I have a record similar to yours with ablation. Mine was six months, a year and a half and I felt great during those times didn’t even think about a fib. I guess I should’ve been prepared. Because of this site, I know no odds are pretty good nothing is going to last forever there is no cure. I also had a third I’m not sure if it’s correct to call it hybrid, but it consisted of more than one ablation in more than one area. It was aggressive, major part being the VOM +2 others ablated spots. I have gone downhill since that the end of April. Unless my IEP and other doctors have been wrong, our ablations do not fail. Some of us have a type of weakness, not quite understood where the afib just finds other areas to pop out. It may not near what had been done. Yes some people are extremely lucky and get a longer period of no afib. I never thought about it when I had no problems, but of course I did not know there was no cure and more a fib would probably be around the corner. It’s a reality we must except I guess. As you know when you mention the mini maze, there are new things being worked on. We are all different so no one knows how successful it will be until done. Mummy Luv is a great role model for it. Living near Houston eye, considered trying to get in with Dr. Wolf. However, I am much older and the thought of a few more months of feeling like I am is something I really don’t think I can deal with.
my doctor is willing to do an ablation if I wanted but he has made it clear. It’s not a good idea I am extremely scarred from previous and my heart is exhausted because of having heart rate in the 150s since the end of April, I had to cardioversions one lasted 3 1/2 weeks of heaven. The other one consisting of three shocks did not work at all. My AP feels time to forget about stopping the afib as such. He wants me to have quality of life and have a life none of which I have now. The CRT special pacemaker Appears to be the best fit for me. They will put it in and ablate the node. The pacemaker will be attached with two leads to my ventricles, because my problem is they will not work together right now. I have heard descriptions of it, being like a successful cardioversion, you feel it almost immediately. I truly think I found a great doctor when you would not expect to be the way he is. He shoots from the hip like I do, and said he could keep doing ablations and taking the money but that’s not why he is a doctor. He is very humble he didn’t say it like you would think. He just understands I’m not a kid. I don’t have that much time ahead of me and I want to be happy with what I have.
I am getting a second opinion however, when you change doctors, it takes so much time to get to where you need to be again. Right now I guess I am resigned to a pacemaker. I am looking at it as a way of feeling normal again.
Best of luck keep us in the loop everyone’s story Here is important. Although we are all different, it’s good to know the different versions of a fib because it could be me tomorrow.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Hope you get your quality of life back xx
Initial EP appointment at Barts
Successful Ablation today at Bart's by Dr Mark Early and his wonderful team
Ablation at St Barts 
My ablation news from Barts
