Anyone had a cardiac catheter ablation (for arrythmia)?

[varden]

I have Atrial Fibrillation. It was well controlled with Beta Blockers for the last 4 or so years. Recently it has gone a bit haywire! I have appt with electrophysiologist (the electrician for hearts lol) soon, and I feel he will suggest an ablation.

He mentioned it at my last review a year ago, but I declined at the time since I was doing very well without it. But now I might have to rethink my reluctance.

If anyone has had one, or knows anyone who had one, would you mind sharing the experience before and after. Did you get sedation or general anaesthetic, and how successful was it etc.

I am nervous, naturally, so thanks in advance if anyone can help with info.

Hello, I had cardiac ablation in 2008 for SVT under sedation whilst the procedure was still quite new. I think if I had it again I’d opt to have the ablation under GA as the procedure was very strange and slightly uncomfortable! Was aware of everything the surgeon was doing and it did take a few hours which felt like forever!
Recovery was ok, I spent one night in hospital although it took me a good few weeks to feel back to my normal self, touch wood I’ve had no further problems! Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thank you. I'll see what consultant says, but I think I'd prefer a general anaesthetic. I had a Watchman device fitted (it's an Afib procedure to stop clots) four years ago under GA and although I was offered sedation I was advised GA would be better due to the length of time on the table!

I'll be guided by the consultant, if he thinks sedation will be OK I'll go with that. One fear I have is bleeding as I bled like a stuck pig from the incision in the femoral artery on the previous op. Wasn't very nice for anyone, but I lived to tell the tale! I'd also be worried that I'd move or cough and the procedure will go wrong if just sedation. I'm a jiggler when nervous!

In the event that anyone else comes along, I'm interested in the success rates for ablation. I have a BIL who had it and is fine six years on, but a friend who had it and is back and forth, and now needs another one! Ugh....

Anyway, thanks so much for taking the time to tell about your successful procedure, you must be very happy about that.

My father had one at Birmingham QE and it was an over night job full anaesthetic. It was really successful and he was about 77/76

DH had one, though for atrial flutter rather than fibrillation though he didn’t have any episodes of that either for a good few years after, and they’re much fewer and farther between than before. He had GA, he very much didn’t like the idea of having it done under sedation.

I know a couple of people who had it, approx 20 years ago - both been fine since.
It's a very straightforward procedure, and if the doc says you need it then "grab it" with both hands.
I think it was sedation, rather than GA, but I can't honestly remember.

I had it done about 20 years ago for AVNRT. I had no sedation or GA and it was fine - definitely uncomfortable but very manageable. I'm sure things have progressed massively since then as well. I'd have no worries about having it done again if the need ever occurred.

I had it about 15 years ago. I thought you had to have only sedation as you need to be awake for them to make the fibrillation kick off? Maybe things have changed now. I had VT (a bit more complicated). They went up through my groin. It's fascinating to watch your own heart on the screen. It absolutely changed my life, no problems since and I was almost embarrassingly grateful to the surgeon afterwards.

My friend had it done and said having blood taken was the worst part. He was late 30’s and has AFib. I went wth him and was surprised by how routine it appears to be. He was in and out the same day.

He was conscious and definitely didn’t have GA, but perhaps was sedated. Said it was fine and would literally have it done again no bother, but hasn’t needed to and that was about 5 years ago

@Anatomical OMG, without any sedation at all! You are braver than me that's for sure. I'd wriggle, cough, or interrupt them and the catheter would go places it wasn't intended to go 😊No, if consultant says sedation will do, that's fine, if he says GA that's fine also, but no way am I going bareback....Gosh I really cannot get over how brave some people are about these things. I must be a total wimp.

Good to hear that your SVT (I think that's what you had in some form) is OK now. Brave, brave.....

I'm not sure, but will ask at my appointment.

When I was having the Watchman device fitted under GA (have a look if interested, it is fascinating what they can do), I had an episode of Afib on the table, it just happened during the procedure and it wasn't induced. Surgeon said, ah look Ms. varden, we took care of that while you were under, no problem. Yikes.....😳

I had one in 2022. I have SvT & AF and the AF was going loopy and not controlled by the beta blockers any more.

Had the option of sedation or general, ended up having both as they want me awake at first to try and work out where the 2 arrhythmias were originating. So glad I was then put to sleep as it was a long procedure and although I wasn't in any pain with the sedation I was fully aware of what was going on around me and wouldn't have wanted that for 2 or 3 hours.

Recovery took longer than they warned me too. Might have been the covid I caught in hospital but I was off for 3 months.

I don't like the idea of being awake and aware, even if sedated! Did the sedation make you calm? Because I think I'd want to jump off the table TBH.

My poor consultant will have to deal with a neurotic Afibber with all the questions I'll have for him.

Good to hear your procedure went well. But THREE MONTHS recovery? OMG. Sorry that you had covid, but that may have contributed.

I had it done a couple of years ago under sedation. It was a bit strange when you were aware of what was going on but I felt no pain. It has been life changing coming off the beta blockers. I was kept in hospital for one night and felt back to normal after a week or two. I hope it all goes well for you.

DH has had 4! And several cardio versions- maybe 8. He had the first in 2008 and another a few months later, consultant half expected that one. Needed another in 2017 and again in 2019. He had another cardioversion in 2021, supposedly as an interim during Covid but touch wood he’s been ok since, taking Flecanide. He was told that they would do one ablation more if needed but with constraints.
The last two, I was supposed to go down and collect him ( teaching hospital) and bring him back in the train, but they told him he was ok on his own, although they kept him in overnight as he was on the table for a while and he was 71 last time.
He likes to watch as he is quite fascinated but last time they did up the sedative dose at one stage. The entry site can be uncomfortable but he really feels the benefit of the procedure.

I’ve had radio wave ablation with a catheter to trace the source of my SVT in about 1997. The first time I had it done without sedation. The 2nd time was with sedation. I would definitely opt for sedation if you can!

It was a weird feeling - my SVT being set off by someone else, and being able to feel the catheter moving in my body!

My recovery was about 2 weeks, and I haven’t had a single incidence of SVT since (27 years ago).

I had one about 7 years ago for SVT. I don’t think it would have been possible to have GA. I’m fairly squeamish, but honestly it was fine. Slightly strange feeling, especially as they had to give a very high dose of adrenaline to get the SVT going. Took them longer than they thoughts, but the procedure worked well and I haven’t had a recurrence of the SVT.
I didn’t stay in over night - just a few hours after the procedure. Recovery period was about 2 weeks I seem to remember - didn’t feel like long at the time.
The strangest thing was being the only woman in the recovery ward. Everyone else having the procedure were old men!

DH had it 2 years ago when he was 62 for flutter. He had a GA and was in and out within 7 hours (privately). He was back cycling within weeks.

My husband did a few years ago under GA. The first one was abandoned half way through as he had a massive blood clot. After blood thinners and careful INR monitoring the second was attempted and was successful! No issues since!

To add, it was for atrial fibrillation caused by using his asthma pump too much when we were travelling in a cold climate. Previously fine before.

Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge/experience. The vast majority sound like great successes, which is reassuring.

I'll be guided by consultant. If I need to have it done, (and if I remember) - I'll update the thread, as it might help others too.

Just in case anyone is still interested, I had the consultation with electrophysiologist. He looked at my Apple watch data for heart rate (no afib data included). Spoke to me about symptoms, how I was feeling etc. Took my pulse, discussed meds etc. No ECG ordered - not required right now he said.

He feels that an ablation is not required at the moment, since my symptoms are minimal. Although the heart rate is all over the place, he wasn't too concerned about that, it is a feature of Afib after all. He discussed inserting a loop recorder at some point, this records cardiac activity and the data from the device which is placed under the skin of the chest, is transmitted directly to the EP. I agreed this sounded good.

In the meantime, I have a new phone and am now recording Afib activity on a weekly basis. He will see me in six months, will look at the phone data and will decide then how to proceed. He didn't change any meds. I am reassured now, and will see what happens in six months time.

Thanks again for all your advice etc.

My dad had this as he couldn’t tolerate the medication. It cured him
completely. As he is a mumsnetter, I’ll get him to comment.