Cardiac Ablation
The most common type of irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, or AFib, can lead to blood clots, stroke, and other complications. For many, the most effective treatment for AFib is cardiac ablation. Offered in several forms, ablation is a safe, minimally invasive, surgical procedure that alters targeted heart cells to the point of scarring. This helps disrupt the electrical signals causing the irregular heartbeat and works to maintain a normal rhythm.
Baystate’s Electrophysiology Department offers three different ablation options:
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses targeted heat to destroy heart tissue that’s triggering an irregular heartbeat—including atrial fibrillation (AFib)—and restore a regular heartbeat.
The procedure involves inserting catheters into the femoral veins and guiding one to the heart where painless bursts of heat energy are applied to identified cells in the heart. The resulting scarring, which can't conduct electricity, effectively short-circuits the irregular rhythm and restores a normal heart rhythm. The RFA procedure usually takes 3-4 hours with patients frequently required to stay overnight for recovery.
Safe and highly effective for improving or eliminating irregular heartbeats—including atrial fibrillation (AFib)—cryoablation uses extreme cold to freeze the specific heart cells that are causing the irregular heartbeat. During the procedure, Baystate electrophysiologists use catheters inserted in the femoral veins to deliver extreme cold to the problematic heart tissue. The freezing process creates scar tissue that blocks the irregular electrical signals. Depending upon the patient’s condition, the procedure usually takes 3-4 hours and may require an overnight stay.
The newest form of cardiac ablation, pulsed field ablation provides the same positive outcomes as radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation but with the advantages of a shorter procedure- and recovery time and better protection for surrounding tissue.
Baystate is proud to be one of the few facilities in Massachusetts to offer pulsed field ablation with our electrophysiologist team using the FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation system from Boston Scientific.
As with other forms of cardiac ablation, pulsed field ablation involves inserting a catheter in the femoral veins. However, instead of using heat or cold energy, pulsed field ablation applies highly targeted bursts of electricity to heart tissue causing atrial fibrillation (AFib). The precise nature of pulsed field ablation minimizes damage to surrounding tissue, preserving more heart cells and hastening recovery.
Another striking difference between pulsed field ablation and other ablation methods is the time it takes to complete the procedure. Treatments are typically completed within 2 hours, allowing most patients to return home the same day.
Discuss your treatment options with your cardiologist to understand if cardiac ablation is right for you, and which method will best serve your needs.
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