can you have an ablation while in AF?

[Exfat]

I’ve been told by an acquaintance that you can’t have an ablation if you are in permanent AF with an irregular heartbeat is this right because my AF isn’t responding to medication or the cardio version? It reverted six days after the last cardioversion? Will I have to be in normal sinus with them to have an ablation , or will they carry out if I’m in AF with an irregular?

[Desanthony]

Not necessarily true. It doesn't matter whether or not you are in AF at the time of an ablation. In fact sometimes AF is actually triggered during the ablation so that they can see where the rogue signals are coming from so that they can treat the correct areas. The only thing I was told was that you had to be on anticoagulants for at least 1 month before either a cardioversion or an ablation.

[bean_counter27 in reply to Desanthony]

"was told was that you had to be on anticoagulants for at least 1 month before either a cardioversion or an ablation."

I suspect that also varies according to doctor and patient. I was about to be cardioverted when first diagnosed during visit to ED. Reverted to NSR while i was being prepped. Being on AC for 30 days obviously wasn't a prerequisite but was also CHADVASC score 0, so might have been a factor???

[Tomred in reply to Desanthony]

Hi Desanthony,I had 3 cardioversions carried out , without anticoagulants.

[Desanthony in reply to Tomred]

Yes I know it was just in my case in permanent AF - see my answer above I know people often have cardioversions in A&E without anticoagulants and do not necessarily go onto anticoagulants if the CHADSVASC score does not require it but mine did.

[BobD Volunteer]

You need to be in AF for them to find where it is coming from. IF you are in NSR they induce AF with a clever drug.

If your AF is permanent i e cardioversion and or drugs cannot produce NSR then ablation is unlikely to work so would not normally be offered.

[Exfat in reply to BobD]

Thanks, Bob and everyone else has posted. It’s good to know.

[Bismark]

I had to go off my Digoxin and Flecainide 2 days before my Ablation and went into AF around 12 to 20 hours before my op. The medical team said no problems at all because they would have had to put me in AF to assist with the Ablation. I didn't start Eliquis until after the operation.

[Sixtychick in reply to Bismark]

Snap, that happened to me also, after stopping my Sotalol and my ablation still went ahead ok. I was already on anti-coagulant and didn’t have to stop it. Hope the awful AFib doesn’t show it’s ugly head again.🤞🤞

[Exfat in reply to Sixtychick]

I’m hoping that an ablation is the next step. I’m a lot more positive about it now.

[Sixtychick in reply to Exfat]

The people on here are very helpful and helped me to make the decision to have an ablation. It’s worth going through with it, if it gets rid of the nasty AFib. I was scared, but I was well looked after.Good luck.

[Buzby62]

Adding to what BobD says, your EP may well see your 6 days in NSR after CV as enough proof that you can achieve and hold NSR and an ablation may be recommended.

Best wishes

[Exfat in reply to Buzby62]

Thanks for the response to you and everyone very reassuring

[Exfat]

Thanks, it looks like that’s the next step for me then

[wilsond]

Rubbish. They often stimulate AF to see where the AF is originating!

[Exfat]

thanks I’ll pass that on with!

[Singwell]

Yes they can. I asked my EP. Not for myself but my brother. And he told me that he does ablation with those in persistent AF. Might be a lower success rate. Ask.

[Gincalpe]

I had an ablation with permanent AF

[Trident3 in reply to Gincalpe]

Just out of interest, how long had you been in permanent af?

[Exfat in reply to Trident3]

It stopped responding to the pill in the pocket last November. I started taking a daily dose of Fleck and and I’ve reverted back into sinus rhythm in December and then all of a sudden I was back in two permanent AF in the last week of December so and have been there ever since Flec isn’t working any longer .

[Gincalpe in reply to Trident3]

For more than a year but certainly longer as I did not know I had it until diagnosed. The ablation worked well and I have been in NSR for over 5 years.

[Exfat in reply to Gincalpe]

Thanks for the post

[Ossie7]

Hello Exfat , I’m on my second day of my 3rd ablation , so hot off the table I can tell you that either rhythm is OK . I was in sinus at the start as was held by dronedarone and betablocker . As soon as the catheter hit I went into AF but they couldn’t see the posterior wall sufficiently whilst in AF so they cardioverted me whilst under and then stimulated AF again later on in procedure .

[Exfat in reply to Ossie7]

I hope it goes well for you. I’m a lot more positive about a cardio Blasian than I was before Pine thanks to everyone.

[kkatz]

I had persistent AFib at the time of my cryoablation.

[Fullofheart]

I have had 3 ablations whilst in persistent AF. I had been in persistent AF for well over a decade, and 18 years total of AF. I only managed 24 hours of NSR following cardioversion but this was enough for them to try ablations, which was third time lucky for me. I was very lucky to have an EP and cardiologist who didn't give up on me! I'm now a whole year without any AF. 😊

[southkorea]

I did! The nurse said it would help the consultant see where the problem was and not to worry . My AF started just I was about to have my anaesthetic

[Exfat in reply to southkorea]

That’s a very good to know I’m more positive than I have been

[DennisVA]

Yeah, that false info. Its way easier to confirm where your afib originates if you're in afib. If you're not in afib they'll try to get you in afib while you're under anesthesia for same reason.

[Karendeena]

As far as I am aware it doesn't matter if you are in AF. In fact I went into AF and flutter during the ablation

[mike1961]

Yes an ablation carried be carried out whilst in AF - even permanent (so long as just a year or two. Prof Pierre Jais in Bordeaux who did my two ablations related a tale to me of an Italian gent he had in the lab who'd been in permanent AF for 3 years and when the Marshall Vein was ablated (with ethanol) the AF converted to NSR. To be fair I'm not sure if ablating the Marshall Vein with ethanol is done anywhere here in the UK - anyone ?

[Snowgirl65]

I was so nervous for my third ablation, that I went into a-fib right there in the waiting room before the procedure. The nurses and doctor said, 'not to worry,' that all was well and they got on with it. I zonked out with anesthesia and indeed, all was well.