Atrial Ablation Procedures

Atrial ablation procedures are used to treat patients who experience a variety of heart arrhythmias. Most patients who undergo surgery for an atrial ablation are completely cured of their condition. Most atrial ablation procedures involve inserting a catheter through blood vessels and into the heart to destroy damaged heart tissue. Atrial ablation procedures can be used to treat conditions of the heart such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and supraventricular tachycardia, including AV nodal re-entry and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Advantages

• Atrial ablation has many advantages. First, all procedures are minimally invasive. This means that a patient will experience less pain and recover faster than a patient who has gone through open heart surgery. In fact, most patients who have received an atrial ablation procedure to treat a heart condition leave the hospital within one to two days after the procedure has been completed. They resume their normal daily activities within a week or so. Second, there is little risk for complications or infections after the procedure has been performed. Third, procedures are normally a permanent fix, thus restoring a normal heartbeat, and the patient never has to be treated again with medication or surgery, according to the Mayo Clinic. Four main types of atrial ablation procedures can be performed. The best type for any condition is determined by the physician administering treatment.

PVA and AV Node Ablation

• Commonly referred to as PVI or PVA, pulmonary vein isolation ablation has a high positive success rate in patients who have been treated for a heart arrhythmia. In this procedure, spots within the heart are isolated and electrically charged. Normally, after the spots that are triggering the atrial fibrillation are electrically charged, the arrhythmia is cured. According to the Mayo Clinic, another advantage to this atrial ablation procedure is that after it is performed, patients who previously did not respond to heart medication may respond better to medical treatment.

  Another procedure, AV node ablation, is effective in treating patients with atrial fibrillation. This procedure is only recommended for people whose condition does not respond well to medications. In this procedure, a catheter is inserted through the groin up to the heart to the AV node. The AV node is a nerve that sends out electrical impulses to and from the top and bottom chambers of the heart. The AV node is destroyed and a pacemaker is put in place in the upper chest to take over the job of the AV node in the heart. According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan Electrophysiology Service on "The Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation," healing time is minimal, but the pacemaker must be monitored and tested as recommended to ensure that the device is working properly.

  There are advantages and disadvantages to this procedure. According to the University of Michigan study, the advantages are that the procedure is 99 percent effective, with only a 2 percent risk of complications during or after the procedure. Another advantage is that the procedure essentially stops the symptoms of atrial fibrillation. This is important because a rapid irregular heartbeat weakens the heart muscle over time. Lastly, the procedure reduces the need for some medications.

  One of the disadvantages of the procedure is that the patient will be dependent on a pacemaker for the rest of his life. Additionally, AV node ablation does not cure atrial fibrillation completely, and medications will still most likely have to be taken to control the thinning of blood to prevent the occurrence of stroke. Lastly, keep in mind that ablation will help raise a patient's energy levels, but the procedure will not completely cure him. Therefore, the patient must remember that the heart condition is still present and know his limits.

Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation

• Ventricular tachycardia is a condition of the heart that can be treated with medication. However, when medication fails, an ablation is recommended. In this procedure, radiofrequency is sent to the affected area(s) of the heart to try to repair the condition. Although the ablation helps the condition to a degree, patients will still need to take medications or use a cardioverter defibrillator, according to the Mayo Clinic.