Cardiac Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) ?

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crazyoildude

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Im curious if anyone knows anything about a procedure called Cardiac Ablation for a cure of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) which is actually a irregular heartbeat.
Did anyone have this procedure or know of anyone who has had it?
 
My dad had it done about a year ago for his a-fib and the a-fib hasn't came back. He didn't have any issues with it. He says he doesn't tire nearly as easily now. His other option was a pacemaker if he didn't just want to live with the a-fib and he feels like he made the right choice.
 
Guy I work with had it done. Or something very similar. His heart would start beating uncontrollably fast occasionally and he would have to head to the hospital to get it defibrillated to restart it. Sort of a turn it off and on cure. He had some surgery done and he's all better now.

What part of NJ are you in?
 
A good friend of mine had it done about a year ago. The first one didn't take and he had it done a second time. The second time it worked perfect. He has had zero problems. He is a retired Sheriff and has been riding his harley and enjoying life ever since.
 
I had an ablation done about 1 1/2 years ago at University Hospital in Newark. My irregular heart beat was causing clots to form in my heart. If they break loose, they can get caught in your lungs, heart or brain. And you can have a stroke. What they did was to insert 4 tubes in my groin area pushing them up towards my heart. When they get into position, they start applying voltages to the heart to burn off the nerves, that were applying electrical pulses to the heart. Causing it to have the irregular heart beat. Not all and every nerve gets zapped, just the ones that were causing the problem. It was a overnight stay. They put you on drugs to keep the beat steady , then check you about once a month to see if you have gone back into afib, which sometime happens.If it has, then they have to go back in and do it again if you have.,,,
 
I had the full ablation done for WPW (Wolf-Parkinson-White) syndrome in 1993 when I was 18. I was born with WPW and had just dealt with it my whole adolescent life until I had an episode at basketball practice. I couldn't play anymore until I had the procedure.

It can be called irregular, but my symptoms were a rapid heartbeat due to an additional electrical pathway through the AV node. The AV node is like a distributor sending impulses to the 4 heart chambers telling them to contract. Mine would double and triple up on those impulses, sending me to the ER several times with a rate in excess of 300 bpm.

The procedure was the same as BigCahuna described. a couple of large wires threaded up from the groin and one in the side of my neck. I was out for the procedure because back then it was an 8 hour deal. The follow up was just one in my neck again and about a half hour to confirm the procedure was successful.
 
My cousin had this done in the early 90s when he was about 20. AFAIK, he hasn't had any issues since.
 
Wow in the 90's and it still worked out well..Im glad for him. Im worried that they may screw me up and i will need a pacemaker or something like that.
Thank you for the post.
 
I worked with a guy that had it. My theory was that it was because of our stressful jobs. He retired and it just quit. I think a lot of heart issues are stress related. You could try getting a less stressful job.
 
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I worked with a guy that had it. My theory was that it was because of our stressful jobs. He retired and it just quit. I think a lot of heart issues are stress related. You could try getting a less stressful job.

agree. Was on multiple meds for BP in my 30's. Went to Afghanistan and was able to come off all of them LOL. Came back to work at the hospital and right back on them. Left that job and haven't needed them.
 
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Wow in the 90's and it still worked out well..Im glad for him. Im worried that they may screw me up and i will need a pacemaker or something like that.
Thank you for the post.

Well do something. A-Fib can cause clots which can lead to strokes. Obviously go to a major Medical Center that does bunches of these. If you go to places that are not Major Med Centers they may not do enough procedures or will simply give you a pace-maker bc they can't do the other procedure. I would probably opt for the recommendation of someone I knew what they were talking about.

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I worked with a guy that had it. My theory was that it was because of our stressful jobs. He retired and it just quit. I think a lot of heart issues are stress related. You could try getting a less stressful job.

You may find that stress causes mostly Ventricular Fibrillation....which in general is not as serious. I had it bc I have a slight Mitral Valve Prolapse (heart murmur). I found exercise all but "cured" it. Possibly not..who knows. Stress and caffeine can make it worse.
 
Originally Posted By: Al
[quote=crazyoildude
You may find that stress causes mostly Ventricular Fibrillation....which in general is not as serious.


Might want to reword that.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Al
[quote=crazyoildude
You may find that stress causes mostly Ventricular Fibrillation....which in general is not as serious.

Might want to reword that.

Why?
 
Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Al
[quote=crazyoildude
You may find that stress causes mostly Ventricular Fibrillation....which in general is not as serious.

Might want to reword that.

Why?


Ventricular fibrillation is a lethal dysrhythmia ( when not converted ).
 
Last edited:
I've had 5 ablations in the past 3 years. Seems like every time they do it they find more tissue that needs cauterizing. The procedure sounds worse than it is. Chances are, at worst you'll have pain in your groin for a few days. The hospital people will tell you all the things that can go wrong but they've been doing it for years and is very safe. I think there's a 1% chance of complications.
The most important thing you can do now is take your blood thinner med. You don't want a stroke.

Oh, Mr. Spasm is 100% right. V-fib is fatal without conversion via defib or chemical.

Feel free to PM me. I know this stuff can scare the you know what of you and your family.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Al
[quote=crazyoildude
You may find that stress causes mostly Ventricular Fibrillation....which in general is not as serious.

Might want to reword that.

Why?


Ventricular fibrillation is a lethal dysrhythmia ( when not converted ).

Sorry....you are right. I was thinking of PVC (Premature Ventricular Contraction) which is generally not a problem vs PAC (Premature Arterial Contraction) which is a big problem.

In my defence I did not stay at a Holiday Inn last night.
 
My wife had some kind of nerve ablation done on her heart AFTER they installed the pacemaker. Each of her inner thigh area had been stitched where they went in up through her large veins with the ablation instruments. I guess one would have been a camera?
 
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