SVT ablation

I am scheduled for cardiac cath and ablation tomorrow morning. I had a pacemaker inserted October of 2013, followed by an ablation and pacemaker revision in March of 2014. Initially, my pacemaker was inserted for bradycardia. Since the pacemaker, I have had daily tachycardic episodes, hence the original ablation. However, I continue to have these episodes, so EP decided to completely ablate my av node. I thought this was completed last ablation, however not completely. Anyway, my question is how long is recovery after? Even though I had previous ablation, I also had other procedures at the same time, causing me much discomfort. My problem is, I have to sit through a 4 hour lecture the day after this procedure. Am I being realistic? And Thursday and Friday i work and have clinicals for 8 hours. As any nursing student knows, missing a day is not an option. I was instructed that I will be completely out, and was under general anasthesia last time as well. Please share any experiences with ablation only procedures. Thanks a million!

1 Comments

Catheter ablation

by golden_snitch - 2014-11-04 01:11:31

Hi Tick-Tock!

Did I understand you correctly: You are going for an AV-node ablation, which is an absolutely last resort therapy, after just one failed ablation?! As I said, it should be the last resort therapy, after several drugs and other ablations have failed. It's usually performed in Afib patients, but also sometimes in patients like me, who have battled numerous atrial tachycardias (8 catheter ablations), which cannot be controlled by drugs or other ablations any longer. Your EP is really quick to do this. An AV-node ablation leaves you with 100% ventricular pacing, and right ventricular pacing can lead to heart failure and onset of atrial fibrillation. So, doing an ablation that leads to 100% ventricular pacing is something that should be considered very carefully, and again, it should be the last resort. Doing this after just one failed ablation is extremely radical. Sorry, you didn't ask for my opinion. I just read this and I had the feeling that you were probably not informed about how rare this type of ablation is, because it's a last resort therapy.

Now, on the other question: After catheter ablations you sometimes have a little discomfort in the groins where they inserted the catheters. Some patients are also bruised in that area. I have had eight catheter ablations, and I think, sitting through a four hour lecture the next day is nothing I would have liked to do the next day. Don't get me wrong, I was feeling fine and walking around, but sitting for four hours at a time is something I never did just 24h after an ablation.

Best wishes

Inga

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So, my advice is to go about your daily routine and forget that you have a pacemaker implanted in your body.