My Partner has just had an Ablation,and is recovering.She told me that if she has to have another ablation,hopefully not.Generally approx. success rate,80%,she will have a general anaesthesia.
All people respond differently,What % of people have sedation only ?
I had two by sedation only and a third by GA, much preferred the GA one.
Jean
So would I but no chance at UHCW sadly! Huh
Hi. Why no GA at uchw ? I too felt really uncomfortable at times and had to speak up and ask for more sedation during my recent rf one
Not their policy apparently!
Ok. Looks like we will have to bare the pain then.
I'm really quite anxious ,on list for possible rf ablation. Approximately 8 month wait. I was in a lot of pain towards the end of the cryo,and I'm pretty good at managing pain.
I know what you mean My rf last month hurt. I felt every one of the 36 burns.
I thought RF was only done under GA? I know Cryo is generally done under sedation but not RF. I would have been a bit ( understatement lol) nervous if mine had been under sedation.
Not policy at University Hospital Coventry and Warwick sadly. I did ask when I was told I may need RF top up. Really quite anxious already!
It's probably a policy with good intentions - reduce the waiting times for people waiting for ablations. But still nerve-wracking for some patients I should think! X
I had virtually no sedation and was really uncomfortable at times to say the least. I am on the list for a follow up ablation( if needed,waiting list is 8 months...)
I asked for GA. Not offered at my hospital. So I have insisted on higher sedation, and watched it put on my notes.
cryo by sedation 12 uncomfortable minutes (4x3min freezes) but was in at 9 am and home at 3pm recovery was very easy - would do it again
Have had both. If I could choose ( which we can’t in South Wales) I would have adequate sedation as although GA removed the anxiety, I found it much harder to recover from. You do have to insist that the sedation is adequate though. X
Sedation x 2 - much preferred as quicker recovery and I had no issues and found the process fascinating - but not everyone has the curiosity to see what’s happening.
Sedation x 2. I would not want a GA for the ablations I had. I was home from both the same day.
I had GA and was back in hotel at 5.30.Had 2 course dinner.I was starving lol.
I know - took 2 Co-op Chicken and stuffing sarnies with me , and 5 minutes after they let me out of the post op observation room l was at them!
I had a G&T as well opps.Was so nice though lol.
What? the hospital did not supply you with chicken sandwiches, mine did after a cardioversion😆
They were going to supply something but when I enquired they advised that they were not very good!
😂😂
I had sedation and found it awful, not enough even though he said he had topped it up and I felt everything, he couldn’t do the test at the end as he could see how uncomfortable I was and I wonder if this is why my AFib has come back. On the waiting list for another one but my consultant said he wanted to do it under GA without me even asking, I’m at St Barts.
Barts also and only time I felt anything was during the burns when it I felt the hot blood almost boil in my neck. Only lasted a few seconds per burn mind you and more discomfort than actual pain. So would go again on sedation if/when another needed.
Had mine by GA, no choice. It was my third GA in 6 month and after all the others I had very bad nausea. I told the anaesthetist about this and he must have put something together which stopped the nausea. When I woke up the first thing I said was "I don't feel sick ". My other ops were for breast cancer and gallbladder.
General anaesthetic at St. Georges. Stayed overnight and no problems. I would have it again like that if needed. My EP does all his ablations under general anaesthetic apparently. That suits me asI have anxiety so would not have wanted the ablation under sedation.
I had a pulsed field ablation in September 2022 and the only option was GA for which I was glad! As an aside I recently had to have a Gastroscopy and the sedation was inadequate… yuk
Hi there. I had GA for mine which does carry risks. The machine providing the anesthetic failed and had to be replaced during my op. Result of which I struggled to come around properly. But, despite this, will be asking for GA again when the date of my second one comes through as I certainly don't want to be aware of what is going on. Cheers. James
I think many more of late as having a GA needs an anaesthesiologist to be present and the NHS is under such strain. I would still choose to have the ablation under a GA, though.
Steve
I wasn't offered the option. It was GA all the way and on the day, the anaesthetist said he would be putting me under quite deeply as the EP did not want me to move at all or even cough involuntarily while he was doing the zapping. I'm sure I wouldn't have liked it under sedation only
I can’t imagine going thru it withoutGA it sounds barbaric…
I agree! It requires such precision and if you are doing other parts of the heart and not just the PVs ( the reason most people have a second ablation) it can present more of a risk ( of course practically zero if your EP is very experienced ). Definitely better if you don't cough or twitch because of pain or discomfort!
GA is all I’ve ever had with five ablations and six cardioversions. But I’m in the US where the EPs want one to be perfectly still.
All in USA/ only way to go
Mine was GA and I was home by evening. In my hospital (Johns Hopkins in US) they require GA. But at another hospital across town they would have done sedation - one of the reasons I went to Hopkins instead. Considering a PFA (pulsed field ablation) this summer, after the expected FDA approval, and with such a short operation time, imagine recovery after GA will be even better.
I was talked into my first ablation using sedation. I was honestly half awake about half way through the procedure and still remember the staff member telling me to stop moving and relax.!!! I asked for more sedation and was told I can’t have any.!!
On my follow up with the EP months later he told me my next needed ablation will be under GA because on my notes it said not tolerated sedation well !! I went on to have my next 2 ablations under GA and it was a breeze.
I have had all 3 of mine done at Aberdeen under GA. I insisted that I wouldn't have it done if only sedation offered. Only comment was I might have to wait a little longer until they could get a team together. No problem.
no problem with mine - good sedation - I wouldn’t want the extra risks and care of GA
Post Ablation
Post ablation
Palpitations post ablation 
Post second ablation
Post Ablation
