Pacemaker Dependent

Does anyone know how many people or what percentage of people are pacing 100% of the time after pacemaker implant? It's been a year since I got  my pacemaker and I am now in A-Fib 100% of the time. What causes this and why did my A-Fib get worse after I got the pacemaker? Does that mean the ablation didn"t work?

2 Comments

Ablation

by golden_snitch - 2016-06-11 03:27:25

What kind of ablation did you have?

If you had an AV-node ablation along with a pacemaker implant you have to understand that this was not meant to reduce/cure your atrial fibrillation. An AV-node ablation does nothing about the afib, it only electrically disconnects atria and ventricles. The atria continue to fibrillate, the ventricles are paced.

This ablation does not target afib at all. So, it comes to no surprise that you are now in afib all the time. Totally expected after an 'ablate & pace' procedure.

It's also perfectly normal that you now pace 100% in the ventricles after this type of ablation. There no longer is an electrical connection between the atria and ventricles. Usually, the ventricles get the electrical signal to beat from the atria. In healthy people the sinus node in the right atrium gives this signal, it travels through the atria, passes the AV-node and then activates the ventricles. Now, with the AV-node ablated, the signal is no longer gets through. So, instead the pacemaker activates the ventricles.

Pacing 100% of the time

by jwilson - 2017-11-13 18:43:42

Yes I did have a A V node ablation. Now I know why I'm pacing 100% of the time and am pacemaker dependent. Thanks for explaining that.

jwilson

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