Ablation Treatments for Afib

An ablation delivers small, painless amounts of energy directly onto the heart tissue to cause lesions. The purpose of the lesions is to interrupt the abnormal electrical signals and stop the Afib. There are different types of ablation described here.

Catheter Ablation

Catheter ablation treats Afib from the inside of the heart. It is also called endocardial ablation (“endo” means inside). Doctors place a catheter, a long thin tube, in a vein in the upper thigh or groin area and move it up into the heart. The person is awake during the procedure but receives medication to feel drowsy.

The catheter first delivers tiny electrical signals to the atria to see exactly where the Afib occurs. The doctor then sends small amounts of energy to create lesions in those areas.

The procedure often takes 2 to 4 hours. The patient might go home the same day or might need to stay overnight in the hospital.¹² Some people may have a repeat procedure if the Afib comes back.

Surgical Ablation

Surgical ablation, which treats the outside tissues of the heart, is performed through an incision in the chest. It is also called epicardial ablation (“epi” means upon). If you are having CABG or valve surgery, surgical ablation can be done at the same time.

Some parts of surgical ablation are similar to catheter ablation:

Energy is delivered to the heart to interrupt the abnormal electrical signals.
The resulting lesions are intended to stop the Afib.

The hospital stay after surgery and ablation is usually less than a week.^13,14

If you have persistent Afib, or long-standing persistent Afib, doctors don’t recommend catheter ablation. Instead, surgical ablation is more effective at making sure the Afib doesn’t recur.^15-19

The surgeon can also exclude the left atrial appendage (LAA) during surgical ablation. The LAA is a very small area of the heart, but it’s commonly where clots form that can cause strokes.

Hybrid Ablation

If you do not need heart surgery, but have long-standing persistent Afib, your doctor might recommend Hybrid AF Therapy. Hybrid Therapy is two procedures that create lesions both outside and inside the heart.

Part One of the Hybrid AF Procedure is Endocardial Ablation (inside the heart):

The doctor makes a small 2–3 cm incision under the breastbone.
Once the doctor has access to the heart, they create lesions across the posterior (back) wall.
These epicardial lesions overlap to create a barrier to the erratic electrical signals that cause Afib.
Epicardial lesions target areas of the heart that cannot be reached from the inside of the heart.

Part Two of the Hybrid AF Procedure is Epicardial Ablation (on the outside of the heart):

A second doctor accesses the femoral vein. This allows access to your heart through the vein.
The doctor looks at an electrical map of your heart. It can show any remaining abnormal electrical signals after your first procedure.
The doctor then creates lesions at the pulmonary veins and any areas that still have abnormal electrical activity.
Endocardial lesions target areas of the heart that are difficult to reach epicardially.

The hospital stay will be typically two to three days. Your doctor will prescribe medication to prevent inflammation. You can resume taking needed heart medications after the procedure as directed by your doctor. Your healthcare team will let you know when you can return to your daily activities.

To learn more visit: www.hybridAFtherapy.com

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