Anyone know about heart ablations?

[eggsontoast5]

Hope this is OK to post here as I’m not too sure of the rules. I saw a post recently about an ablation so hope this is allowed.

I know this is very niche so I’m not expecting much but just thought I’d try. I have a pre-procedure appointment next week anyway so I’ll ask then, but in the meantime thought I’d see if anyone on here has experienced it.

I’m getting an ablation shortly after Christmas for a ‘tachyarythmia’. But I also have ‘sinus node dysfunction’ which causes tachybrady separately to that, which causes my heart rate to drop to anywhere between 30-40bpm. These episodes are not everyday and it’s quite mild, maybe once every few weeks I’ll have phases where my heart drops too low for anywhere between hours/days.

obviously I want to avoid a pacemaker whilst I’m still young (under 40), and I was told that’s fine for now because it’s mild and I’m asymptomatic, but last night it popped into my head that I wasn’t sure what would happen if I was having one of the episodes from the sinus node dysfunction during the ablation. ie, if my heart rate was sitting at 30 during it.

I’m assuming they would abandon the ablation for the tachyarythmia? but would it be a complete waste of time or could they do anything for the sinus node dysfunction side of things or would they get information about it or be able to treat it at all? Or would it just be abandoned altogether and I’d have to go back on the waiting list to try again?

I’ve been waiting a long time for this ablation due to long lists and I’m just slightly concerned it will be cancelled from the sinus node dysfunction if that decides to drop my heart rate during it.

like I said, I’ll ask the consultant this week when I see him but wondered if anyone on mumsnet had experience of this?

Hi OP,

I had to have an ablation about 8 years ago but mine was because I kept having periods of SVT.

The aim was to try and trigger an episode and then they would ablate the area of abnormality and hopefully prevent any future episodes.

My procedure wasn’t a success in that when they got in there they found that I had a really dysfunctional system in terms of electrical pathways and what they then wanted to do to my heart meant I would have had to stay overnight, and thankfully there were no beds available (as I’d been admitted to a day unit).

I was in the Cardiac Lab for about 2 hours whilst they messed about in my heart trying to trigger abnormal rhythms and it was a really unpleasant procedure. However, dont use my experience as a way to gauge how yours will be my situation was different to yours.

When I got back to the Day Unit they then hooked me up to an ECG and on two occasions gave me an awful IV drug to temporarily suspend my heart activity without even really explaining why. The whole thing was awful.

Shortly afterwards the Consultant came to see me and said he’d never seen a conduction like mine in his 40 years of practice (the condition does have a name, I just can’t remember it off the top of my head) and that as they hadn’t been able to explore my heart fully due to there being no overnight bed available he said he’d rebook me, and then told me he intended to invite some other Cardiac Consultants from across the Country to observe so they could come and see my heart’s way of functioning too.

Due to how awful the whole day had been I said no, that I wouldn’t be coming back. I chose to take beta blockers instead and thankfully ive never had another episode since.

It was a very surreal experience though…. Midazolam is a wonderful thing!!!!

One piece of advice I will give you following my experience is ensure that either someone will be in the room with you at all times, OR, that you are given a call bell that you can press if you need someone to come into you.

At one point during my procedure I was in a lot of chest pain as they had my heart going at just over 200bpm, but the Consultant had taken all the nurses out of the room (so they could go to same room as him with all the monitors in so they could see my ‘wonderful’ conduction system as it was a good learning experience for them apparently), which meant I was in a room all alone, in pain, unable to move, very frightened with no way of getting any help.

Hi OP,

I actually had a cardiac ablation this week.

Although uncomfortable and painful during it, the surgeon and nurses could talk to me the whole time and explain what they were doing.
They were in control and kept reassuring me that they were controlling how fast my heart was going etc. I could hear them saying “down to 250, 230” etc
I was in for about two hours but actually felt quicker. I ended up with no sedation only LA in groin and was bearable.

I was worried they wouldn’t find the ‘problem’ but they did. The technology is amazing and I was fascinated by the screens!

My advice would be to not stand up too quickly. I was laid down for 2 hours, sat for one and then I was allowed to walk to the toilet (I was desperate). At this point I could feel my groin go and then had lots of people around , pushing on my groin and back in bed rest.
also don’t underestimate the recovery. 4 days on and I’m still out of breath walking to bathroom.

Sorry I can’t answer your specific questions.

100% I would do it again if needed, the worst part is the anxiety before hand.

Have you previously had an EP study in the cath lab?
I've had two.
You are awake throughout. It's uncomfortable but not painful and can last half an hour to two hours.
As others say they control your heart with drugs to try and replicate the problem so they can pinpoint exactly where it is.
In my case they were looking for SVT and found it was atrial tachycardia. They were reluctant to do an ablation for it.
I've been on calcium channel blockers for 6 years since then and they do a pretty good job.

Thanks, that’s all really helpful. It sounds so scary and I’ll definitely be glad once it’s done! I’ve just got this concern that it will all be for nothing and they’ll have to abandon it if my heart is too low that day, I really don’t want all the waiting to have been for nothing!

I had one for svt a few months ago. I didn't have any problems during the procedure and it fixed my problem instantly. 2 hours in the lab, I had sedation so was nicely drowsy. I wouldn't worry about it.

I have had a heart ablation for SVT. I had sedation, took about 2 hours in all. It cured the problem, had bed rest. Then was allowed home. This was about 9 years ago.
I get some ectopic beats now, but nothing like the SVT. I can't remember any pain and the staff were reassuring.