Narrowing of the pulmonary veins (veins that transport blood from the lungs to the heart).Blood clots, which might lead to a stroke.Damage to the heart, which might require a permanent pacemaker.Damage to the blood vessels from the catheter.Bleeding, infection, and pain from the catheter insertion.Although rare, there is the risk of death. There are some risks associated with the procedure, however. Most people who have atrial fibrillation ablation have a successful outcome. Be sure to discuss all your concerns with your healthcare provider before your ablation. You may have specific risks based on your specific medical conditions. Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of the procedure in your particular situation. It also might be a good option for you if you have symptoms from your atrial fibrillation.Ĭurrently, healthcare providers treat most people with medicine before considering ablation but ablation can be considered a first line alternative to heart rhythm medicine. Ablation might be a good option for you if you have no other structural problems with your heart. It may be less likely to work long-term if you have more persistent atrial fibrillation. In such cases, the doctor may suggest ablation to correct the problem.Īblation may be more likely to work long-term if you have atrial fibrillation that has lasted for 7 days or less. Some people respond poorly to these medicines. Many people with atrial fibrillation take medicines to help control their heart rate or their heart rhythm. It is not intended to eliminate the need for blood thinners for stroke prevention. The main reason for ablation is to control symptoms. Anticoagulant medicines used for preventing stroke pose their own risks, and people on certain anticoagulation medicines require extra blood draws and monitoring. Atrial fibrillation also greatly increases the risk of stroke. Some people have unpleasant symptoms from atrial fibrillation, like shortness of breath and palpitations. This is most common when a person is already having heart surgery for another reason. Sometimes doctors use a surgical approach instead. Scarring helps prevent the heart from conducting the abnormal electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation. The freezing process involves a technique called cryoablation. In the burning process, a type of energy called radiofrequency energy uses heat to scar the tissue. The doctor then uses the catheters to scar a small area of the heart by making small burns or small freezes. The contraction of the atria and the ventricles is no longer coordinated, and ventricles may not be able to pump enough blood to the body.įor ablation, a doctor puts catheters (thin hollow tubes) into a blood vessel in the groin and threads it up to the heart giving access to the inside of the heart. This causes the atria to quiver or “fibrillate.” The disorganized signal spreads to the ventricles, causing them to contract irregularly and sometimes more quickly than they normally would. The atria can’t contract normally to move blood to the ventricles. Instead, the signal is sidetracked and begins somewhere else in the atria, triggering a small region at a time. During atrial fibrillation, the signal to start the heartbeat doesn’t begin in the sinoatrial node the way it should. These cells are in the sinoatrial (SA) node in the upper right atrium of the heart. Normally, a special group of cells begin the signal to start your heartbeat. There are 2 upper chambers called atria and 2 lower chambers called ventricles. This can help the heart maintain a normal heart rhythm. It uses small burns or freezes to cause some scarring on the inside of the heart to help break up the electrical signals that cause irregular heartbeats. What is ablation for atrial fibrillation?Īblation is a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation.
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