Cardiac Ablation

The goal of cardiac ablation is to eliminate areas of the heart that are generating the abnormal heart rhythms causing your arrhythmia. During this procedure, the electrophysiologist performs a detailed electrical map of the heart to determine the specific sites that are causing your abnormal heart rhythms. He or she then guides an ablating catheter to the sites and treats the defective tissue by rendering it electrically silent. This specialized catheter emits a painless electromagnetic energy to ablate (destroy) the defective areas.

Patient Preparations for a Cardiac Ablation
Fasting Requirements: You will be instructed not to eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your procedure.
 
Medication Considerations: If you are taking prescription medications, you should discuss with your physician whether you should continue to take your medications on the day of your procedure. Patients who take blood thinners, such as Coumadin®, will be advised by their physicians to stop taking this medication for a period of time prior to their cardiac ablation. If you are diabetic, it is important for you to discuss with your physician how to adjust insulin and food intake prior to your procedure.

Transportation upon Discharge: Since you will be sedated during your procedure, you must have someone with you to drive you home. Following your procedure, you will spend three to six hours resting prior to discharge.

What to Expect During a Cardiac Ablation

•  You will be awake during the procedure; however, you will be given sedation to make you drowsy.
• Your heart rate, rhythm, and blood pressure will be continuously monitored.
• The area where the sheath will be inserted will be numbed with a local anesthetic medication. While the sheath is being inserted you may feel slight pressure.
• Electrode catheters used for cardiac ablation are long, flexible wires that are inserted through the sheath and threaded to the heart. The Electrophysiology Lab is equipped with special imaging equipment that allows the physician to view the catheters as they are threaded towards the heart. While the catheters are moving through your body you should feel no pain.
• The electrophysiologist performs a detailed electrical mapping of the heart to determine the sites causing your abnormal heart rhythms.
• An ablating catheter is then guided to the abnormal areas. Radio frequency energy is passed through this specialized catheter to treat the abnormal tissue and render it electrically silent.
• When the electromagnetic energy is applied you may feel a very warm sensation.
• The electrophysiologist may stimulate your heart with tiny electrical impulses at different times throughout the procedure.
• The catheters and sheath are removed when the study is completed. Pressure will be place on the sheath site, and once the bleeding has stopped, a dressing (bandage) will be applied.
• The estimated time for cardiac ablation is two to six hours, depending on how many areas need to be treated.

What to Expect During Recovery from a Cardiac Ablation

• A nurse will continue to monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, pulses, and insertion site.
• You will be instructed to lie flat with your head slightly elevated at a 30-degree angle. For a routine cardiac ablation, this time period will last for three to six hours.
• If the insertion site was in your groin, you will be asked not to move your leg, since limiting the movement of your leg will help prevent bleeding.
• Upon discharge, most patients require only minimal restrictions of their daily activities for a short period of time.