During the procedure Catheter ablation is performed in the hospital. Before your procedure begins, a specialist will insert an intravenous line into your forearm or hand, and youll be given a sedative to help you relax. After your sedative takes effect, your doctor or another specialist will numb a small area near a vein on your groin, neck or forearm. Your doctor will insert a needle into the vein and place a tube (sheath) through the needle. Your doctor will thread catheters through the sheath and guide them to several places within your heart. Your doctor may inject dye into the catheter, which helps your doctor to see your blood vessels and heart using X-ray imaging. The catheters have electrodes at the tips that will be used during the procedure. Once in place, the electrodes will send electrical impulses to your heart and record your hearts electrical activity. This will help your doctor to find the abnormal heart tissue that is causing the arrhythmia in your heart. Once the abnormal heart tissue thats causing the arrhythmia is identified, your doctor will aim the catheter tips at the area of abnormal heart tissue. Energy will travel through the catheter tips to create a scar or destroy the tissue that triggers your arrhythmia. In some cases, ablation blocks the electrical signals traveling through your heart to stop the abnormal rhythm and allow signals to travel over a normal pathway instead. The energy used in your procedure can come from: Heat (radiofrequency) Lasers Extreme cold (cryoablation) Cardiac ablation usually takes two to four hours to complete, but complicated procedures may take longer. During the procedure, its possible youll feel some minor discomfort when the dye is injected in your catheter or when energy is run through the catheter tips. If you experience any type of severe pain or shortness of breath, you should alert the cardiologist performing the procedure.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 11:42:50 +0000
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