Radiofrequency Ablation Heart in Jabalpur
How is Catheter Ablation performed?
Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for fast heartbeats. A catheter is a thin tube inserted through a blood vessel to your heart. Catheter ablation is one type of heart ablation procedure used to treat abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Ablation is a technique used to strategically destroy abnormal tissue and restore proper function to your heart.
A cardiologist (a doctor who specializes in treating heart conditions) performs catheter ablation. The procedure uses hot or cold energy to create scars in your heart tissue where the arrhythmia is occurring. The scars help block abnormal electrical impulses and prevent abnormal rhythms.
The scars only destroy tissue involved with faulty heart patterns. They don’t cause any residual pain or create problems with your heart’s function.
What conditions does catheter ablation treat?
Catheter ablation is a medical procedure used to treat various heart rhythm disorders, also known as arrhythmias. Some of the conditions that can be treated with catheter ablation include:
Atrial fibrillation (AFib): This is the most common arrhythmia and occurs when the heart’s upper chambers (atria) beat irregularly and too fast, leading to poor blood flow.
Atrial flutter: Similar to AFib, atrial flutter is characterized by a rapid and regular beating of the atria.
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT): This condition involves abnormally fast heart rhythms originating above the ventricles, often in the atria or the atrioventricular node.
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW): WPW is a congenital condition where there is an abnormal accessory electrical pathway between the atria and ventricles, leading to rapid heart rates.
Ventricular tachycardia (VT): This is a rapid heart rhythm originating from the ventricles, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Catheter ablation is performed by inserting thin, flexible tubes (catheters) into blood vessels, usually in the groin, and guiding them to the heart. Once in position, the catheter delivers either heat (radiofrequency energy) or extreme cold (cryoablation) to the specific areas of heart tissue responsible for generating abnormal electrical signals. This process disrupts the abnormal electrical pathways, restoring normal heart rhythm.
Benefits of Catheter Ablation
Effective Treatment: Catheter ablation is highly effective in treating various arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation (AFib), atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW), and some cases of ventricular tachycardia (VT).
Symptom Relief: By restoring normal heart rhythm, catheter ablation can alleviate symptoms associated with arrhythmias, such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue, and chest discomfort.
Reduced Risk of Complications: Catheter ablation can reduce the risk of complications associated with long-term medication use for managing arrhythmias, such as side effects from antiarrhythmic drugs.
Improved Quality of Life: Patients often experience an improvement in their quality of life following catheter ablation, as they may no longer need to worry about frequent episodes of irregular heart rhythms or the limitations imposed by their condition.
Reduced Hospitalizations: Successful catheter ablation can decrease the frequency and duration of hospitalizations related to arrhythmia episodes, leading to fewer disruptions to daily life.
Decreased Stroke Risk: For patients with atrial fibrillation, maintaining normal sinus rhythm through catheter ablation can lower the risk of stroke by preventing blood clots from forming in the atria.
Potential for Long-term Cure: In some cases, catheter ablation can provide a long-term or permanent cure for certain arrhythmias, especially when performed early in the disease course or in combination with other therapies.
Avoidance of Surgery: Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that does not require open-heart surgery, leading to shorter recovery times, reduced pain, and lower risk of complications compared to surgical interventions.