AV Node Ablation

Why?

by golden_snitch - 2016-06-19 11:25:39

The question is: What are these palpitations? Since your EP has suggested an AV-node ablation, my guess is that you are having atrial fibrillation. But then the next question would be: Have all other treatment options for Afib been exhausted (drugs, cardioversions, ablations called pulmonary vein isolations)? An AV-node ablation because of Afib should always be the very last resort. And you have to understand that it actually does nothing to stop the Afib, it only electrically disconnects the atria and ventricles, so that the atria keep fibrillating and the ventricles are paced. No more erratic heartbeat since the electrical impulses from the atria are blocked by the AV-node. You'd need to continue to take a blood thinning medication as the Afib is still there.

That's what I was thinking ...

by Charlotteis - 2016-06-19 13:03:54

Thanks for those thoughts!  That's what I was thinking - one would imagine other things would be tried first, AND it was my understanding that the ablation of the AV node would not stop Afib.  However, this is the only thing both EP and cardiologist suggested and only if it really is bugging me that much.  I am not on any medication at all.  I am frustrated.  Palpitations that last for hours are super uncomfortable, but an ablation is what got me into this in the first place.  I really hate the idea that this is my new normal.

SVT's

by BillH - 2016-06-19 14:20:03

SVT's just means an fast heart beat that comes from the atria. It can cover many different things. AFIB, A Flutter, atria tachacardia, and a number of werid re-entery arrhythmia.

What went wrong with the orginal ablation that requires a PM? My guess is that sinus node was damaged.

Again palpatation is a extremely impresice term. Basically it means any heart beat that is felt. It can come from all of the same sources that cause SVT or from the ventricals, or PAC's or sinus pauses.

Time to ask some more specific questions.

What was the orginal SVT? What was suppose to be ablated? What happened? What is the cause fo the current palpatiions?

What has been done in terms of meds to stop them? What are the possibilities of an ablation to stop them other than AV mode ablation, which does not stop them, just hides them?

Damage after ablation

by Jane S - 2016-06-19 16:23:31

I to had damage after an ablation for atypical SVT, mine conducted both down the slow pathway and back up the fast and vis versa. The ablation damaged my fast pathway leaving me with 1st degree HB, which over time developed in to 2:1 HB along with palpations which I never really got to the bottom of what they were. After a few years of gradually feeling worse and various moniters, echos, different drugs etc. I got a PM about 14 months ago.It did help but due to my weird wiring I'M getting chronic reentry tachycardia or PM tachy. Long story short heading for AV node ablation, yes it's a final step but I want to make the most of my active years (53yo) and with an upper limit of 100 and various other settings my exercise tollerence is rubbish and when the tachy kicks off I feel awful however I don't have Afib.

Find out what is going on before making any disition and if nessessary get a second opinion. My OP should be in the next couple of months and will post how things go.

Good luck

Jane x