![]() ![]() This impulse is funneled through a small region of heart tissue (isthmus) located at the bottom of the right atrium. This type of ablation procedure does not eliminate the atrial fibrillation itself, but rather prevents it from causing the ventricles to beat too fast in response to the rapid atrial impulses.Ītrial Flutter is due to an electrical impulse that travels around a defined circuit in the right atrium. This requires implantation of a permanent pacemaker to maintain a normal heartbeat. Ablation can interrupt conduction of the impulse across the AV node, thereby preventing the rapid atrial impulses from reaching the ventricles.The may allow the normal pacemaker center (sinus or SA node) to regain control of the heartbeat. Creating lines of electrical block in the atria which interrupt the abnormal electrical circuits.Ablation of the rapidly firing spot (focus) in the atria that is “triggering” the atrial fibrillation.In others, it may be caused by a single rapidly firing electrical spot (focus), which is commonly located in one of the pulmonary veins near where they empty into the left atrium.ĭuring atrial fibrillation, the AV node is bombarded with many electrical impulses for the atria (the abnormal wavefronts), which cause the lower chambers (ventricles) to beat rapidly and irregularly. In some patients it may be due to wandering, disorganized, electrical circuits (wavefronts) throughout the upper chambers (atria). The exact mechanism of AF is still being investigated. Atrial fibrillation can also occur in people without other heart problems, a condition termed “lone atrial fibrillation”. Your physician and/or nurse will review with you the suspected mechanism of your SVT.Ītrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained tachyarrhythmia, and generally occurs in people with underlying heart disease (figure 2). There are five major types of rhythm disturbances that arise in the upper heart chambers: 1). These arrhythmias are generally considered benign and are not life threatening. Heart rhythm disturbances that originate in the upper heart chambers and are referred to as supraventricular tachycardias or SVT, and as a group are the most common type of arrhythmia. Ablation is designed to prevent your tachyarrhythmia (fast abnormal rhythm) and thereby relieve symptoms. When this occurs, the heart can beat very rapidly and cause symptoms of palpitations, lightheadedness or dizziness, shortness of breath, a feeling of fullness in the throat, chest pain/pressure, fatigue, or fainting. ![]() After a split second pause, the impulse then continues down through both of the ventricles causing them to contract and squeeze blood out to the body and lungs.Ĭhanges in the heart's electrical system can cause periodic episodes of an abnormal heart rhythm. The AV node is the "gate-keeper" to the lower chambers and is normally the only electrical connection between the upper and lower chambers. While the atria are contracting, the electrical impulse continues through the atrio-ventricular (AV) node. The impulse spreads across both atria causing them to contract simultaneously and squeeze blood into the lower pumping chambers ( ventricles). Normally, this electrical impulse begins in the sino-atrial (SA) node located in the upper right chamber (right atrium) of the heart. Your heart has its own natural electrical system which makes it beat (figure 1). Catheter ablation is designed to permanently cure your arrhythmia, or if that is not possible, to make them less frequent, slower, and better tolerated. When delivered by catheters that are positioned inside the heart, RF energy can selectively cauterize the heart cells responsible for an abnormal heart rhythm. RF energy consists of high frequency radiowaves and has been used safely during surgical procedures for many years to cauterize (burn) tissue and prevent bleeding. While many energy sources are being investigated to perform catheter ablation procedures, radiofrequency (RF) electrical energy is most commonly used today. Catheter ablation (a-blay-shun) is a procedure used to selectively eliminate (damage or get rid of) the heart cells causing the arrhythmia. Some patients with heart rhythm disturbances ( "arrhythmias") do not respond adequately to treatment with medication, and for other arrhythmia patients, therapy with medications is not as safe or appropriate as more definitive treatment. ![]()
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