i’m at 69-year-old male that has had four oblations in the last eight years for a fib. I am now in a flutter persistent 100% of the time. I’m considering another ablation in November by one of the top doctors in the country. I Heard that sometimes too many oblations can cause a stiff heart which I am told that I have already.
I don’t know if that’s correct or not and if it is, what is the downside of having a stiff heart. I’m trying to weigh the Opportunity of being in sinus rhythm or make heart stiffer making it worse?
I am also having issues with my liver with the backflow of one of the venal veins, which could be as a result of the a flutter.
Has anybody heard of this or dealt with it before?
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jsanta
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I’m not sure about this, but it might prompt others to answer but I think having several ablations can cause fibrosis affecting tissue within the heart from excessive scarring. I think techniques have improved over the years and EP’s are now more able to prevent this from happening. I’m sure that if you raise your concerns with your EP you will get answers to your questions.
As I understand it afib ablations are done to the left atrium. If you have typical flutter that would be the right atrium ablation, a lot easier & quicker to perform and a very high success rate (>95% ?).
I've now had an RF afib catheter ablation and a surgical atypical flutter ablation both on the left atrium and no one has mentioned a stiff heart to me.
"If you have typical flutter that would be the right atrium ablation, a lot easier & quicker to perform and a very high success rate (>95% ?)."
If I was you the 5th ablation for TAF in the RA would be a WAY better option to my mind going forward than being in Aflutter 100% of the time.
By the way, what is your ventricular response rate when in Aflutter? Maybe if it was 4:1 (atria to ventricular) all of the time (rather than jumping about from 2:1 to 3:1 to 4:1) with a ventricular rate of just 70 or 80 then staying in it could be an option depending on your age and co-morbitities.
Quite a few years ago, having been admitted to a hospital ward with my heart racing, a cardiologist told me that my heart may have become a bit stiff after having had 2 ablations. I did go on to have a third ablation in 2016 and haven't had a really high heart-rate since. It's now usually between 60-90bpm.and I'm in constant AF.
I guess with ablations forming scar tissue to block the rogue beats, there is always the chance of it making the heart stiff in it's working. That cardiologist was the only person who suggested that over the 18 years of my having AF. I had an echocardiogram last year and all was fine.
I did a little looking and "stiff heart syndrome" came up. The Franciscan article was the most helpful one I found although I've never heard of this source. Are you short of breath? BP problems?
I was quite surprised when my cardiologist told me this week that if I have a 3rd ablation I would probably get a pacemaker. Of course I never think to ask the obvious, "Why?" and I assumed it was my age (almost 80).
This article lists shortness of breath as connected to stiff heart syndrome. This has gotten me thinking because SoB is one of my biggest problems. He's scheduling another echo. I also had untreated hypertension years ago so that's an interesting link. I attribute my kidney disease to it.
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