Arrhythmias - Ablation
CATHETER ABLATION AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY STUDIES - What to expect:
© Alan B. Schwartz, M.D. January1999/version 1.0
You are going to have an Electrophysiology study and catheter ablation of your rhythm problem. This sheet will let you know what to expect.
- The procedure is performed at Peninsula Hospital (now called Mills-Peninsula Medical Center). You will fast from the night prior to the day of the procedure. You come into the hospital at 7 am the morning of the procedure. Your doctor will have told you which medications you can take and which ones to hold prior to this. In the outpatient area you will be given an intravenous line and some sedatives. Your groin may be shaved. Males will be given a condom catheter so that they can urinate during the procedure. You will then be brought down to the cardiac catheterization laboratory where you will be draped in sterile sheets and given more intravenous sedatives to make you comfortable. You will be completely covered except for small holes located near sites where catheters are placed. There will be 3 or 4 technicians in addition to your doctor. Everyone will be wearing scrub suits and/or masks. Your doctor will numb up the areas in your right groin and in your neck area or left shoulder area and will place catheters in your veins at these locations. These catheters will be used to record electrical signals from your heart and deliver cautery for the ablation part.
- During the procedure, you will be asleep. You will be give intravenous sedatives to keep you in a light sleep. This kind of sedation is not general anesthesia. You will be give local anesthesia at the areas where the catheters are inserted through the skin. There will be a nurse by your side at all times to be sure you are comfortable.
- You should not feel any discomfort during the procedure. If you do, please tell the nurse. After the procedure the catheters will be removed and the puncture sites will be treated by applying pressure at these sites to stop the bleeding. After you leave the catheterization laboratory you will be brought to the outpatient area where you will be asked to lie flat for 4 hours. After that the chance of bleeding is quite small and you will be allowed to walk around.
- The procedures may last along time, sometimes 4 to 5 hours. This is normal. The procedure involves a lot of details that take time. Also each person is slightly different. Family members should not worry if the patient is not finished by lunchtime, particularly if the procedure has started late (after 9 am).
- I will see you and your family after the procedure to explain what was found and what was done. The family members should wait in the Radiology waiting room.
- You should "take it easy" on the day after the ablation. On the following day, you may resume normal activities and go back to work if necessary. You may have a slight bruise at the puncture sites and a little pea sized lump. Do not worry about these. They will go away. You may also remove any Band-Aids 1 or 2 days after the procedure.
- You will be seen in the office in about 1 month. If you have any symptoms of tachycardia in the mean time please call our office. Unless instructed otherwise you should take 1 buffered adult aspirin with food once a day for three months. In the first month after your ablation you might feel skipped beats. This is usual. This should go away after about 1 month.
- If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Alan Schwartz