A.V. Node Ablation

Hi. I am a 62 year old male with sick sinus syndrome. I am looking for anyone who has had an A. V. Node Ablation procedure.
I have had my dual chamber pacemaker since September of 2011. Did the procedure cure your SSS, and did it improve your quality of life? I am new to the club, and this is my first post.

Thanks

9 Comments

I had an AV Node ablation

by janetinak - 2013-01-01 07:01:20

in 2000 for Afib. I am 100% paced since. I am aware that there are a lot of new procedures out there but that was only thing available fir me in 2000. I feel great & altho still in Afib & take Coumadin I am not sorry I had it done.

Hope that he;ps,

Janet

av node ablation

by Bailessmom - 2013-01-01 08:01:49

I had a av node ablation in 1982 for a very fast heart rate. I did have a little bit of a problem with enegry levels because I am 100% paced. With the new model pacemakers they have now it is no longer an issue. If you don't feel like yourself yet maybe discuss with your doctor about possible different setting to help you. There is no right setting fixes all. I have had a pacemaker since I was 22 y/o and I am 52 now. I have never regretted having to have the procedure done. My life is better for it

Correct procedure

by mtulau - 2013-01-01 10:01:09

I have a pm and cant get info from my cardioman or EP man. They dont want to know what is happening or how I feel, but settings were changed at both checkups by the technician who informed the EP man what he had done. I have felt wretched all 18 months regardless of changes of medication and settings, but by reading this forum it appears people are getting action when they mention problems. So I ask do you get into your EP man or cardio or your GP, at short notice for attention. Many thanks,mtulau.

Bert

by 1024LAKE - 2013-01-01 11:01:09

I had an AV node ablation in June of 2011. I had 3 PVI ablations and atrial flutter ablation previously. The atrial flutter persisted and the Dr. recommended the AV node ablation. The AV node ablation does not cure the afib or aflutter but you don't know when it is occurring. I had the pacemaker implant in 2008 and a replacement in 2011. I I have no problems with it but the thought of losing a lead wire is always in the back of my mind. I think my age had something to do with the DR's recommendation as I was 84 at the time. Good luck

i had a ablation

by my4turtles - 2013-01-02 01:01:36

I had my sinus node ablation August of last year a month after my pacemaker was put in. I also suffer from a lot off extra beats that meds would not help. I have also had a couple before this but i believe this was the first for th sinus node. Well just over a year now my extra beats have kicked in really bad and im going in again as they think the sinus node may have grown back. I guess this can happen right after, but it did help me and it did help with the extra beats..

AV-node ablation for SSS???

by golden_snitch - 2013-01-02 03:01:27

Hi,

who suggested that you should have an AV-node ablation to treat SSS? Never ever heard that before. Yes, it is an option for atrial flutter or fibrillation which doesn't respond to any drugs or pulmonary vein isolation, but for SSS it seems to be a very radical approach. I have had an AV-node ablation for multiple atrial arrhythmias and junctional tachycardia, but I had tried all antiarrhythmic drugs on the market and had already had 7 ablations before we decided to go for the AV-node ablation. This type of ablation should always be the very last resort.

Do you have sinus tachycardia? And if so, did they tell you that the AV-node ablation would help with that. Have you tried drugs to slow the sinus node down?

Best wishes
Inga

Avoid it as long as possible

by ebfox - 2013-01-02 07:01:54

I agree with Inga. If you have sinus tach have you tried beta blockers? Sometimes people who have tachy brady syndrome take the beta blocker to slow down the tachy (and let the pacemaker handle the brady).

AV node ablation is last resort-

Let us know how it goes.

EB

A.V. Node Ablation

by timyanb - 2013-01-03 06:01:08

Thanks everyone for the comments. I have been diagnosed with AFIB and sometimes atrial flutter, which then turned into atrial tachycardia. These conditions have been progressing from the mid 1980's, and I am one of those people who cannot seem to tolerate most drugs because of the side effects. I was on sotalol for many years, and was given flecainide at the same time around 2009, which I think caused my sick sinus syndrome. I then developed bradycardia, which then required a PM. I have had two ablation procedures, one last October, and then again in November. I had a PM implanted in September of 2011, in Montana, and now that I have moved back to Colorado, it was discovered that the atrial lead was not reading at all. I had the lead replaced on December 17 of this year, and the lead fell out that night in the hospital, so they had to do the whole thing over on the 18th. I am very happy with my current doctors here in Colorado, but I still get all sorts of premature beats all day long, and cannot sleep at night because of the inability of my sinus node to generate a steady sinus rhythm. The A.V. Node ablation is someting I am considering, because I havn't experienced a steady heartbeat for many years.

Thanks,

Tim

Tim

by my4turtles - 2013-01-05 03:01:27

Tim you sound very much like me i just want to let you know that even with the ablations there is a chance the premature beats will not be gone The Dr's have tried with me a couple times, meds and ablations and i still have them. Mae sure you ask your Dr first what he thinks the out come will be for you. I still get woken up from the extra beats. Im going to be going in again as they think my sinus node has grown back after a year. The extra beats are so bad that i am going to go for it, even if i get another year with 50% relief its worth it to me. Good luck and i hope you get some relief soon

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