Catheter Ablation

After speaking with the specialist yesterday Brett and I feel much better. The appointment was a long one but the doctor spent over and hour with us directly explaining everything and answering all the questions that we had.

Bottom line Trent will have surgery at the end of June or 1st of July. We are currently scheduling that. Because of his asthma it is necessary to complete the procedure this summer. He is not allowed to take any of his asthma medicines until after the surgery.

Catheter ablation is based on the idea that by ablating, or destroying, abnormal tissue areas in the heart, its electrical system can be repaired and the heart will return to a normal rhythm. During catheter ablation, your physician will insert several special long, flexible tubes with wires—called electrode catheters—into your heart. Some of these, called diagnostic catheters, are used to study your abnormal rhythm, or arrhythmia. However, one of these catheters will be used for the actual ablation. Once the doctor determines exactly where abnormal tissue in the heart is located, it can be ablated. Your physician will position the ablation catheter so that it lies on or very close to the abnormal tissue. High-frequency electrical energy is then sent through the ablation catheter into this abnormal tissue. The small area of heart tissue under the tip of the ablation catheter is heated by this high-frequency energy, creating a lesion or tiny scar. As a result, this tissue is no longer capable of conducting or sustaining the arrhythmia.

The procedure will take anywhere from 4-5 hours and after a great recovery he should be released that night. No longer than 1 week downtime, which is great.

I will keep everyone posted.