Hi all.After about a 9 month wait I got my abalation booked at the John Radcliffe Oxford. They say I got to be there by 7:30 am and if okey should go home around 6-8pm. That does seem a awful long time. I also got to go for my Admission Assessment just over a week b4 but no idea what they do or how long it can take. I am having a lift there so do not know if they need to wait in hospital or go for walkaround Oxford.
They also say just in case you may have to stay in overnight. That means my old tatty dressing gown which I refuse to throw away as it is so warm is really not fit for purpose in ward. It is a mixed ward so will also have to take pyjamas which again are a bit tatty so wil have to by anew pair. I sure all of you who have had a abalation had to go packed for the night just in case so what do you take??
Thank for any info Peter
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dindy
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This is our fact sheet on preparing for ablation and I will add the one on recovery shortly. The procedure may take anything from a couple to four hours plus you need to lay flat for some time afterwards to allow the groin wound to stop bleeding. I never came out the same day myself despite usully being first on the list, but then I live 250 miles from the hospital where I was treated. W e are all different.
Thank you BobD I have read the report and downloaded it and printed the report and is very informative. I will also nearer the time show my wife so she also know what is going on as well and will be informed.
I would recommend taking loose clothing, I just had a tee shirt and loose shorts and a warm coat for when you leave. You will be in the gown that you have on for the procedure for most of the time.
Best wishes
PS, I was about to add the recovery sheet and see BobD has beaten me to it.
I had Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion at the JR at the start of December. The ward is a cardiac day ward only, and if you have to stay overnight they transfer you to another cardiac ward so they do all they can to get you in and out in the same day, so long as you live reasonably near (we are about 40 mins drive away). A dressing gown is good because the hospital gown shows your bottom when you walk to the lab where the procedures are done or to the loo. The pyjamas may be less needed - I was in a hospital gown all the time. My husband stayed with me most of the day reading his book but could go for a stroll to the hospital cafes to get food. The cardiac day ward is on the ground floor with its own entrance, but later in the day it’s not as easy to get in.
I think they like everyone in by 7.30 or so in order to plan the order of procedures. When I made it into the lab, there was an emergency brought in from A&E and many of the team needed to go out and deal with that, but they came back pretty quickly and of course these things happen. The team were great, lots of them, but very reassuring.
You wait until nurse collects you and then have a chat with them - ecg blood pressure & Inr test
They go through procedure & check you understand everything. No more than an hour.
As others have said, the day ward closes around 6 pm and they need to monitor you for a couple of hours afterwards - check you stay in rhythm & heart rate, BP stabilise- your hearts been beaten up and needs time to recover.
If you are done later in day then they keep you in to keep an eye on you & move you to cardio ward downstairs.
Gown to cover rear end & comfy bottoms are essential !
I think these procedures depend on the Country you are in and the specific hospital. In Leicester they keep you in the same ward and nearly (if not all) stay in overnight irrespective of what time you have the procedure
Just a dressing gown. I stayed in a hospital gown. I was kept in overnight as I think most people are and my ablation was early morning. I wouldn't have wanted to go home the same day, rather have them keeping an eye on me!! The assessment was straightforward, just blood tests, BP and then a general discussion with a specialist arrythmia nurse about the procedure and the benefits/risks and what would happen on the day. My partner waited with me as it was just like any other outpatient appointment.
Sending best wishes for a successful ablation. Mine was thank goodness 😊
I second everything Scrabblefiend says about procedures at the JR. I had my cryoablation done there in March. I think if you’ve got to be in at 7.30am, you will be listed for a morning procedure. From memory, I think we were told to arrive at 10am for afternoon surgery. The time went very quickly. They took me in to theatre about 1pm and I was home the same night. My partner went back home in between, then came back to pick me up about 7pm. It suited us both better than him just sitting around in the ward all day. There is a drop-off parking bay right outside the unit so you don’t have far to walk.
The ward seemed to run very efficiently, like a production line. As Scrabblefiend said, you will spend most of the time in a hospital gown, so a dressing gown is necessary to cover your modesty whenever you stand up. As a woman, I found a longline cardigan did the job nicely, and didn’t feel as ‘invalidy’ as wearing a dressing gown. Good luck😊
They say an approximate evening time, but you may go home sooner, it depends where you are on the list. If you are first, say at 9am, chances are you will be home by late afternoon, all being well, but if you have to wait until, says after lunchtime, you’ll be home later.
The pre admission is usually a blood test and an ECG, plus an MRSA swab. That’s usually very quick. Then, a week before, you should get a pre-op call where they discuss in detail what will happen on the day.
Take a book! I wouldn’t worry about how your dressing gown will look…but you may also find you won’t need your new pyjamas if you’re sent home, it’s a difficult one. You will get a gown to wear that ties up at the back for the op.
My hospital doesn’t tend to keep people in overnight unless necessary. I’m under the Essex Cardiothoracic in Basildon.
first of all don’t worry about being a fashion statement because the odds are pretty good. They are going to dress you so that you are accessible for them in every way. The first time I was staying about the only thing I got out of my bag was my hairbrush and something to tie my hair back toothbrush, etc., at my hospital if I had to get up, they simply gave me another lovely outfit to put on the opposite way, so everything is covered and you are not flashing anyone lol
it does sound a little bit long not by much from things I have been through. Usually, I was home by six. They keep you in recovery at least here for quite flat on your back. They used to put pressure on the groin because of bleeding, etc. about a year after my first one they what reminds me of a plug that they insert instead. No more sandbags, etc. to keep pressure, but you do still need to be flat. if they keep you, it’s usually because of bleeding not that it has to be that serious. They just don’t want to send you home if it’s questionable I’ve only been kept overnight twice. I think sometimes it’s a matter of your doctor being able to get to you to check on you before it’s too late to send you home not because you are serious. They also need to make sure your kidneys are working, etc.. All of these things are keep you laying there longer.
as far as admission it’s mostly paperwork the usual stuff that you’ve answered 1 million times. Also bloodwork, Covid, etc. just the usual you may need an EKG. It’s up to your doctors when they do that. Of course you’re going to be hooked up to everything anyway, when you have the procedure, but they don’t want to get too far into anything and then find out they have to stop it depends how many are ahead of you and how well the appointments run. Also allow time for checking in and billing, etc. if it’s anything like my hospital, what they actually do should be done in an hour, but expect delays. No one moves fast. Yes, I do wish they would think about who is driving you because they usually insist you do not drive. Just be prepared to hurry up and wait.
depending on the length of time your ride is I would suggest they wait with you for the admission part. I can’t speak for your hospital, though be someone here that has been through it but all of it is simple.
I have had to be there two hours early before a procedure just so you know they will prep you and ask you the same questions again lol and again and again you just be patient you want them to pay attention to you right? You’re not dropping your car off it’s your body.
you will also see how many people are involved in a team. I was blessed with the same wonderful team each time it was like going home to family lol
you could throw your sleepwear in, but you probably won’t be using it feel good. I used to have a robe. it was gray flannel two sizes too big but so cozy so I understand you. like I said they just want easy access so a Johnny is probably the first thing you will be handed and a pair of socks if they use them there. They give us the ones with a nonslip bottom so they don’t give you slippers anymore. These are better, although they are quite ugly usually bright yellow I guess so they can spot you if you try to run away lol
relax wait for the cocktail they give you the best sleep I ever get is probably during procedures lol
Weird how this varies from hospital to hospital and country to country. I’ve had 2 ablations over in France at Bordeaux (2018 & 2023) and I was kept in for 2 nights each time - should have been 3 apparently but I was doing well and they appreciated that each night was costing me 3K Euro…😅 - 🤔 be interesting to know if they keep SHI (like our NHS) French nationals in for 2 or 3 nights…. That said, I really wouldn’t have wanted to go home the same day after either procedure.
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