Treatment involving ablation

Ablation on the heart is typically performed using catheters. These reach the heart through a blood vessel, either in the groin or in an arm. Electromagnetically generated heat or cold is then applied through the tip of the catheter, depending on the method used. The lesions created on the tissue when the heat or cold is applied by the catheter prevent the abnormal cardiac pulses from continuing to be transmitted.

Below is a brief description of the use of ablation to treat various conditions; these procedures are all performed frequently at our clinic.

• AV nodal reentry tachycardia, or AVNRT, is a benign type of cardiac arrhythmia in which the heart suddenly begins to beat faster, albeit regularly, before returning to normal again.
• Heating the catheter and proceeding with the almost imperceptible ablation of the pathways responsible produces a very satisfactory outcome in the large majority of cases.
• Once treatment is complete, a pressure dressing will be applied and you will be on bedrest for a few hours.
• You will normally be able to leave the clinic on the same day, but should avoid any exertion for another week.
• In ca. 95% of cases, there is no recurrence of the symptoms.

Persons affected by WPW (Wolff-Parkinson-White) syndrome are born with an additional electrical pathway between the atria and ventricles of the heart. Possible symptoms include a racing heart, even at a young age. If this occurs frequently and drugs are unable to help, ablation may prove a useful solution.

First, an electrophysical examination is carried out to measure the excitation and conduction of the cardiac arrhythmia. Ablation is then performed on the respective fiber and intense heat generated electrically, causing the fiber bundle to lose its conductivity.

Ectopic atrial tachycardia, or EAT, is a relatively rare form of cardiac arrhythmia. This is triggered by 'misfiring spark plugs' in the atrium, which can give rise to severe symptoms.

To treat the condition, the interior wall of the atrium must be scanned and 3D mapping performed. Once it is found, the focus of the arrhythmia can be localized and ablated in a targeted manner.

Ablation is used for ventricular extrasystoles (VES), i.e. extra beats that interrupt the regular rhythm of the heart. If drugs are no longer helping to control the symptoms, which are generally benign, then ablation may present an alternative solution.

When deciding which form of treatment is appropriate, it is important to establish where precisely in the heart the extrasystoles are originating, and how often they are being registered during 24-hour ECG monitoring.

Actual treatment in the EP laboratory involves passing an electrode catheter from the groin to the heart and using high-frequency current to ablate the focus of the arrhythmia.

Ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) can assist with a potentially fatal form of cardiac arrhythmia. This sinister, recurrent malfunction originates in the ventricle and can cause sudden cardiac arrest.

One of the treatment options is defibrillator implantation (ICD), and another - if the circumstances are appropriate - is ablation for ventricular tachycardia.

Our specialists use 3D mapping to establish the cause of the arrhythmia. If it is identified as ventricular tachycardia, which always originates from the same focus, then ablation may be used to treat the condition. The procedure used is similar to that described for other ablation interventions.