|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Download and Print this page as Adobe PDF |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
In cardiac ablation, a form of energy renders a small section of damaged tissue inactive.
This puts an end to arrhythmias that originated at the problematic site.
|
Normally, electricity flows throughout the heart in a regular, measured pattern.
This normally operating electrical system is the basis for heart muscle contractions.
Sometimes, the electrical flow gets blocked or travels the same pathways
repeatedly creating something of a “short circuit” that disturbs
normal heart rhythms. Medicine often helps. In some cases, however,
the most effective treatment is to destroy the tissue housing the short
circuit. This procedure is called cardiac ablation.
Cardiac ablation is just one of a number of terms used to describe
the non-surgical procedure. Other common terms are: cardiac catheter
ablation, radiofrequency ablation, cardiac ablation, or simply ablation.
The ablation process
Like many cardiac procedures,
ablation no longer requires a full
frontal chest opening. Rather, ablation
is a relatively non-invasive procedure
that involves inserting catheters –
narrow, flexible wires – into a blood
vessel, often through a site in the groin
or neck, and winding the wire up
into the heart. The journey from entry
point to heart muscle is navigated
by images created by a fluoroscope,
an x-ray-like machine that provides
continuous, “live” images of the
catheter and tissue.
Once the catheter reaches the heart,
electrodes at the tip of the catheter
gather data and a variety of electrical
measurements are made. The data
pinpoints the location of the faulty
electrical site. During this “electrical
mapping,” the cardiac arrhythmia
specialist, an electrophysiologist, may
sedate the patient and instigate some
of the very arrhythmias that are the
crux of the problem. The events are
safe, given the range of experts and
resources close at hand, and are necessary
to ensure the precise location
of the problematic tissue.
Once the damaged site is confirmed,
energy is used to destroy a small
amount of tissue, ending the disturbance
of electrical flow through the
heart and restoring a healthy heart
rhythm. This energy may take
the form of radiofrequency energy,
which cauterizes the tissue, or intense
cold, which freezes, or cryoablates
the tissue. Other energy sources are
being investigated.
Patients rarely report pain, more
often describing what they feel as
discomfort. Some watch much of the
procedure on monitors and occasionally
ask questions. After the procedure,
a patient remains still for four to
six hours to ensure the entry point
incision begins to heal properly. Once
mobile again, patients may feel stiff
and achy from lying still for hours.
When is ablation appropriate
Many people have abnormal heart
rhythms (arrhythmias) that cannot
be controlled with lifestyle changes
or medications. Some patients cannot
or do not wish to take life-long antiarrhythmic
medications and other
drugs because of side effects that
interfere with their quality of life.
Most often, cardiac ablation is used
to treat rapid heartbeats that begin
in the upper chambers, or atria, of
the heart. As a group, these are know
as supraventricular tachycardias,
or SVTs. Types of SVTs are:
| Atrial Fibrillation |
| Atrial Flutter |
| AV Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia |
| AV Reentrant Tachycardia |
| Atrial Tachycardia |
Less frequently, ablation can treat
heart rhythm disorders that begin
in the heart’s lower chambers, known as the ventricles. The most
common, ventricular tachycardia,
may also be the most dangerous
type of arrhythmia because it can
cause sudden cardiac death.
For patients at risk for sudden cardiac
death, ablation often is used along
with an implantable cardioverter
device (ICD). The ablation decreases
the frequency of abnormal heart
rhythms in the ventricles and therefore
reduces the number of ICD
shocks a patient may experience.
For many types of arrhythmias,
catheter ablation is successful in
90-98 percent of cases – thus eliminating
the need for open-heart
surgeries or long-term drug therapies.
[Back to Top]
|
|
|
|
 |
