12/22/2023 0 Comments Atrial flutter ablationCryoballoon AblationĪnother type of ablation, known as cryoballoon ablation, uses liquid nitrogen instead of radiofrequency energy. Patients are put on blood thinners for at least three months before and after the procedure, until the inner lining of the heart has healed from the effects of the radiofrequency energy. The entire procedure usually takes 2 to 4 hours and the patient spends one night in the hospital. To eliminate the atrial fibrillation, a typical patient requires between 150 and 250 different spots to be ablated. These spots are cauterized with the radiofrequency energy. With a computerized, three-dimensional mapping system to guide the procedure, the doctor can see the catheter and the left atrium on the computer screen, which makes it possible to guide the catheter very precisely and cuts down on the amount of X-ray needed during the procedure.īy recording the electrical activity inside the heart, we can identify the short circuits that are generating the atrial fibrillation. This is accomplished by “transeptal catheterization,” in which a small hole is purposely made with a needle that is pushed through a thin membrane that separates the two top chambers of the heart. The procedure requires the insertion of a catheter into the left atrium. Using a specially designed catheter that is positioned in the left atrium, radiofrequency energy is applied to the heart muscle to cauterize the “short circuits” that are triggering atrial fibrillation.įor the ablation procedure, catheters are inserted with a needle into a vein that runs up to the heart from the groin. What is Catheter Ablation?Ĭatheter ablation is a minimally invasive technique intended to treat atrial fibrillation (Afib) without major surgery. We handle large volumes of patients and have conducted extensive studies to prove that ablation is effective long term. We’ve been at the forefront of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation during the last eight years and played a key role in understanding the mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and developing new treatment strategies.ĭoctors at the University of Michigan have performed crucial studies that have helped to perfect the tools used in ablation. The University of Michigan electrophysiology program has been a national and international leader in catheter ablation of arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms) over the last three decades. Catheter ablations are performed by an electrophysiologist (also sometimes called an EP). Electrophysiology (or EP) is the name of the branch of cardiology that deals with heart rhythm disorders.
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