Any questions?

Yes please

by Gemita - 2021-03-12 20:47:07

How easy was it to ablate the SVT and was it the first ablation?  Are you now free from SVT or will you need a further ablation?  Has it triggered any other arrhythmias or is your heart quiet now?  Are you still taking anti arrhythmic meds?

Ditto the same above questions for the VT.

Also, do you have a CRT-D or dual chamber pacemaker/defibrillator?

I have many atrial tachyarrhythmias including Flutter/Fibrillation, SVT and Multifocal Atrial Tachycardia as well as non sustained VT.  Am still considering all my options including an AV Node ablation.  Thank you

VT

by AgentX86 - 2021-03-13 00:08:23

Ablation of the Ventricles interests me.  My EP wasn't even interested in going there with me.  He didn't think it necessary at that point and said it was much more complicated than an atrial ablation (I had three in the left atrium and that was easy).  To get to the left ventrical they'd have to go in through the femeral artery rather than the femoral vein, which complicates things a little but that's done for heart caths anyway.  Mine cath was done through the radial artery (my cardiologist is a specialist doing this) but they used the femoral artery to do my carotid angiogram.  That wasn't a huge deal (outpatient) either.  I'm wondering why this is so much different than an atrial ablation. Thanks.

Any Questions

by RowanWolfe - 2021-03-13 16:48:01

Gemita, my pacemaker was implanted in spring of 2018 and I had my SVT ablation in summer of 2018.  It was easy for me as i was out for the procedure lol.  I believe it took about 2 hours, and I have not had SVT since.  However, in the fall I had multiple VT episodes one day and that is when they removed the pacemaker and replaced it with a pacemaker/ICD.  It is just a standard ICD not CRT-D or dual chamber.  No more VTs until winter, but then I had a clue.that set off my ICD (January 2019). At this point I was put on a lot of antiarrhythmic meds and referred for VT ablation.  I continued to have VTs though my meds were increased but no further shocks.  In fall of 2019 I finally got to see a specialist at the University of San Francisco, who agreed to do the VT ablation in December 2019.  I had to be awake for this 6 hour procedure, but it was apparently worth it as I have not had VT since and take no antiarrhythmic meds since that ablation.  :D

Any Questions

by RowanWolfe - 2021-03-13 17:01:16

AgentX86, I'm sorry I don't have any specific experience with ablation of ventricle versus atrial.  My VT was sort of "outside' my heart as my doctor described.  The doctor who did my SVT ablation said he could not do the VT ablation and was hesitant to refer me until I told him how often I was experiencing VT.  The VT ablation was quite challenging.  They put a catheter in my right and left femorals, though I honestly don't know if it was veins or arteries.  They had to use a few different drugs to try to induce the VT, and I had to be awake to give them the best chance since I never had VT in my sleep.  It took them hours to succeed in inducing the arrythmia, but I have had the most excellent result.  It has been 15 months with no antiarrhythmic meds and no tachycardia.

Thanks for sharing

by Persephone - 2021-03-13 19:06:23

Thank you for sharing your experience... this is helpful and I hope you are continuing to feel well.

VT ablation

by AgentX86 - 2021-03-13 21:44:54

Ah, I see.  I didn't think that would be called an ablation.  I'm still curious how they got outside the heart to do the "ablation".  I had a Cox Maze when I had my CABG but in that case they were playing Alien with my heart anyway.  It didn't work (made things worse, really).

I've had three ablations.  Two were with locals only.  During one, the RF burns hurt like hell but what was I going to do?  During another they did a cardioversion thinking I was out, when I was just chillin'.  That rather hurt, too, and elicited some comments about the ancestry of everyone in the room.

I also had locals for my PM implant (chest and femoral vein for the AV ablation) and had a carotid angioplasty.  It started out as a stent but found nothing once they got in there.  I had to be awake to pump a ball on command and answer stupid questions.  They wanted to know if they knocked a chunk of stuff off and into the brain so I had to be consious.

VT ablation

by islandgirl - 2021-03-15 18:51:42

I'm on a multitude of drugs for VT and VFIB, and have had no episodes since January with med and dose changes.

My EP said he would not do an ablation for my VTs as they are from both ventricles.  Having an ablation awake is tough--but gotta do what you gotta do to improve quality of life.  I've had many ablations awake,  as the EPs don't want to supress anything and there is a better outcome.  I also thinks it's dependent on certain arrhythmias. Once mine were mapped, they would give me general anaesthesia.  I've been awake for many hours, though......  

Hope you stay VT free!