Cardiac ablation is a procedure in which your doctor will access your heart through a blood vessel. A catheter (a long, steerable tube) will enter the vessel and be placed in your heart where diagnostic devices will be used to determine the area of the heart that needs to be treated. The doctor will use the catheter to apply energy to the targeted heart tissue. This will isolate the area from the rest of the heart and prevent it from producing AFib.
You will receive detailed instructions from your care team to prep for your procedure. Most likely, your team will ask you to:
• Complete some tests prior to your procedure.
• Stop eating and drinking the night before your procedure.
• Stop taking arrhythmia medications—and potentially other medications —days before your procedure.
• If you already have a cardiac implant/device, you may have other instructions to follow.
After you are under anesthesia, your doctor will make a small incision in the upper thigh and insert a small, thin tube, also known as a sheath, into the blood vessel. Your doctor will then gently guide a thin, flexible catheter into your vessel (using the sheath as a guide) to access your heart.
After accessing your heart, your physician will use a mapping catheter to create a 3D model of your heart and record its electrical activity. Next, your physician will use a special type of catheter called an ablation catheter–which transmits radiofrequency (RF) energy into the heart–to block irregular signals that cause AFib until a normal heart rhythm is restored.
You will be taken back to your room for recovery, where your physician will check on you and provide specific instructions to follow. Expect to stay in the hospital overnight for monitoring and safety precautions. There may be some restriction on activities for about a week after your procedure. Follow all guidance from your physician accordingly.
Sodium-channel or potassium-channel blockers can help control the rhythm of your heart.
Beta blockers can help slow or control your heart rate.
Blood thinners can help prevent or treat clots.
Some people use these medications before their procedures. Some find that after a period of time—about a year—they no longer work. Medications may also come with their own set of side effects. There’s a good chance you will have medicine prescribed to you immediately following your procedure, for a time.
Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Reduce salts and fats. You may also have some dietary restrictions if you are on certain medications.
Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly can keep your heart in its best shape.
Many aspects of your lifestyle can contribute to heart health. Managing your stress, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake, avoiding caffeine or stimulants, and treating underlying health issues, such as sleep apnea, can improve your quality of life.
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