Having ablation done June 26

I have supraventricular tachycardia. I had an unsuccessful ablation done 18 months ago. Started taking sotalol and was fine for 6 months. SVT started coming back. Then got more frequent. Then had a bad one, went to hospital to get shocked back into rhythm. Had pace maker/defib installed 4 months ago. SVT's became more frequent. Had 6 episodes in one day. Pace maker has always paced heart back into rhythm.

My cardiologist said there was nothing more he could do for me and referred me to a specialist.

I am now scheduled for a second ablation and electrical study on June 26 with a new cardiologist. My new doctor says it will be an 8 hour operation.

At this point I don't care I just want to be normal again.

Anyone had this type of lengthy ablation before , any information would be helpful.

I plan to give a full report after the procedure for the next poor sap this happens to.

Thanks

5 Comments

Ablation

by Roys - 2014-06-21 08:06:49


I had a 7 hour PVI ablation, and another 4 hours in recovery to stop the bleeding, and 5 days in hospital and that was not a cure. Best of luck.
Roy

Catheter ablation

by golden_snitch - 2014-06-22 02:06:46

Hi!

I have had ablations that took between 8 and 10 hours, BUT that was more than 10 years ago! Nowadays, ablations for SVTs hardly ever take more than an hour or two. For instance, I had an ablation for ectopic atrial tachycardia back in 2000, and that took 8 hours; in 2012 I had one for the same kind of arrhythmia, and it took one and a half hours. The technology and the mapping techniques are now so advanced, that most ablations don't take that long. Atrial fibrillation ablations can be take several hours, same goes for ablations that target ventricular tachycardia. But for SVT I'd not expect 8 hours. Also, I have heard doctors say they blocked the cath lab for the whole day, and then it took them just one or two hours, and I have heard them preparing for a short procedure that then took 6 hours in the end. So, it's really difficult to make an estimate.

I went back to your first posting, and there you were talking about VTs, not SVTs. I was confused how a pacemaker could pace you out of SVT, as you are stating here, so that's why I went back to read your other postings. Pacemakers can only treat bradycardia. If you have an ICD, too, that can of course pace or shock you out of ventricular arrhythmias. So, I guess you'll be having an ablation for a VT, and not an SVT, right?

Thanks for the comments

by Cartman - 2014-06-22 12:06:53

I am 61. Have been athletic all my life. No smoking. Running 5K 3 times a week. Ran 1/2 marathon last January. List weights the other 3 days. Take one day off. I was diagnosed with SVT- went to hospital 3 separate times with HR of 220+. Had PM/defib installed with one lead to the ventricle chamber.

Was told that when heart started into v-tach the pace maker would attempt 4 times to pace the heart back into rhythm if that didn't work then would get the shock.

So far the PM has paced me back into rhythm on the first try.

I just keep having these episodes, thus the reason for the ablation on June 26.

Once again thanks for all the comments. They do help.

It worked for me

by jimkirschvink - 2014-06-23 03:06:48

Hi Kirk -

I just had my second ablation two months ago, for A fib. It took over 9 hours, and now I'm beating just as normal as can be. My first ablation was for heart flutter, on the right side, It was a lot easier of an operation, and only took a couple of hours. the difference was night and day. Go for it with a positive attitude, it really helps. You'll be glad after it's all over

Jim Jim

vt ablation time

by joy1 - 2014-06-24 01:06:55

Hi kirkmanmj-

Stay as active as possible. It's the only way to live longer, healthier, and happier!

Ablation time. I had an ablation preformed about two months ago. It was suppose to only last a few hours. It turned into a ten hour procedure with another six hours recovery. Recovery time is dependent on whether they go through the venus system or the arterial system. Arterial system requires a six hour recovery.
Procedure times depend on many factors: experience of doctor, morphology of your arythmia, and the structural condition of your heart.

I have an awesome medtronic ICD which does everything but wash windows :-) Therehad been no ATP (anti tach pacing) for over a month. It was awesome. Then the day came where I felt wrong again. Sure enough I was paced while at the dinner table and then again the next morning. Follow up appt with the cardiologist and EP, they agreed to change my beta blocker. There were a number of things involved with desicion. I havent been paced since. Granted it has only been a couple of weeks since the change but I feel better over all and best of all I feel hopeful. My EP still waants to take me back to the lab but I told her I wanted an epideral this time, 16+ hours flat on my back... We're negotiating :-)

Get a second opinion if you do not feel comfortable with your cardio docs. I have had 4-5, not including Fellows since 2005. It's your life. With common sense, follow the path which feels right for you. Find docs you can work with and trust.

Good luck Kirk. Hope this round works for you! Remember, alot of people have several ablations before the doctors are able to capture and cut all the alternate pathways the electrical currant tries to go through.

Warmest wishes,
Bonnie

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