CATHETER ABLATION
Healthy Artery
Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure in which the doctor advances a flexible thin tube (catheter) through the blood vessels to your heart to ablate (stop) abnormal electrical pathways (signals) in the heart tissue.
The following animation demonstrates how the catheter ablation process works
If you have atrial fibrillation (AFib) that has not responded to medication, your doctor may recommend catheter ablation.
CATHETER-BASED PROCEDURES
The goal of catheter ablation is to prevent unwanted electrical currents from traveling from the pulmonary veins (blood vessels between the lungs and the heart) to the atria (the upper chambers of the heart). The standard ablation technique is called pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). During the procedure, catheters are used to ablate (stop) these abnormal electrical signals and prevent them from spreading and continuing to cause AFib.
Different catheter-based ablation devices and techniques may be used. They generally fall into two categories, based on the type of energy they apply.
1. Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is heat-based.
2.Cryoablation is cold-based
Although many patients benefit from catheter ablation, results may vary. As with any medical procedure, there are benefits and risks. Your doctor can help you decide if catheter ablation is right for you.
