Your experience during catheter ablation
In most cases, catheter ablation is done in an electrophysiology (EP) lab. It often takes 2 to 4 hours, and sometimes longer. You'll receive medication for pain which will also help you relax or sleep during the procedure. Inform the nurse or physician if you are uncomfortable. The EP lab team will get you ready for the procedure by prepping your groin (or rarely, the neck). Any hair in that area may be removed. This is where the catheters will be inserted. An IV (intravenous) line is started in your arm. Medicines and fluids are given through this IV. Your body will be draped with sterile sheets to maintain sterility. Only the area where the catheters will be inserted is exposed. The physician will then numb the skin where the catheters will be inserted with pain medicine (local anesthetic). Then the provider uses a small needle to make punctures in your vein or artery. Then place catheters through these punctures and guide them to your heart using the X-ray monitors. The provider then puts wires in several places in the heart to map the electrical signals. The wires also stimulate the heart. When the procedure is completed, the catheters will be removed. Manual pressure or temporary suture will be placed at the entry site. The suture will be removed in few hours. You're then taken to a recovery room to rest. You'll need to remain lay flat without moving your legs for 4 to 6 hours. This is to make sure the insertion sites do not bleed or cause hematoma
SPIRAL IN LSPV
VEIN FIRING DISCONNECTED ELECTRODENUMBERS
AT MOVIE1
Risks of Cardiac Ablation
There are risks with all the invasive procedures. We take precautions and try to prevent these possible risks of the procedure.
- Bleeding or infection at the catheter entry site
- Damaged blood vessels if the catheter scrapes them
- Slow heart rate needing pacemaker if the electrical system gets damaged during the procedure.
- Blood clots in your legs or lungs
- Damage to the heart muscle and valves needing cardiac surgery or procedures.
Stroke or heart attack
