

2019 AHA/ACC/HRS focused update of the 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS guideline for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society in collaboration with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. Atrial fibrillation: Clinical features, mechanisms and management. You will need a permanent pacemaker to control your heart rate, and may need to take blood thinners to reduce your risk of a stroke. ResultsĪfter AV node ablation, your symptoms and quality of life will likely improve. Depending on your condition, you may be allowed to go home the same day or you may spend a night in the hospital. You'll be taken to a recovery area where care providers will closely monitor your condition.

You will need the pacemaker for the rest of your life. Once the AV node is destroyed, your doctor implants a pacemaker, unless you already have one. Sensors on the tip of the catheter apply heat (radiofrequency energy) to the heart tissue at the AV node and destroy the electrical signaling connection. The doctor inserts the catheter through a blood vessel, usually in your groin, and into your heart. A care provider will insert an IV into your forearm or hand and give you medication to help you relax.ĭuring the procedure, you may be awake, lightly sedated or under general anesthesia (fully asleep), depending on your type of arrhythmia and other health conditions. During the procedureĬardiac ablation is done in the hospital. You may have this device placed several weeks before your ablation to make sure it is working well, or it may be done the day of your ablation.
#Atrial flutter ablation indications how to#
Your care provider will tell you how to prepare and what to bring to the hospital.Īfter an AV node ablation, a pacemaker is necessary for proper heart function. Your health care provider will order several tests to check your heart health. Once the AV node is destroyed, a device called a pacemaker is needed for life to maintain the heart rhythm. The procedure blocks the heart's electrical signals. Heat energy, called radiofrequency energy, is usually used to destroy the signaling connection between the upper and lower heart chambers. Atrioventricular (AV) node ablation is a treatment for irregular heartbeats.
