Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation

Arrhythmia is diagnosed when your heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of arrhythmia. During periods of AFib, the electrical impulses from the top chamber of your heart (atria) become erratic causing this abnormal beating or quivering. If this quivering continues, blood can pool in the atria and form blood clots leading to a stroke. If you’ve had AFib for a long time, you are more prone to other heart problems like heart failure. People who have AFib have nearly double the risk of death compared to someone with a normal heart rhythm.

Diagnosing Atrial Fibrillation

AFib symptoms may include heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, swollen feet or ankles and chest pain.Most AFib episodes are not life-threatening, even though you may feel strange; you are not having a heart attack. In some instances, AFib does not always show signs or symptoms and may be found from a routine physical or check-up. Along with your medical and family history, your doctor may order several tests including an ECG, echocardiogram, blood tests or X-rays for determining the cause of AFib. If you have been told you have atrial fibrillation, your primary care doctor will most likely refer you to a cardiologist or electrophysiologist who will identify the cause and the best possible AFib treatment. Treatment options depend on your condition and the underlying cause, and can range from medication to ablation therapy. 

Ablation Procedures for Atrial Fibrillation

BayCare hospitals offer the latest advancements in AFib treatment by ablation, which modifies the area of the heart tissue that is causing the irregular heartbeat. Ablation corrects arrhythmia rather than just treating the symptoms. There are several different types of ablation procedures, and our cardiac specialists will work to determine which approach, or combination of treatments, may offer you the best outcome. Types of ablation procedures include:

• Minimally Invasive catheter-based cryoballoon ablation is a procedure performed by inserting a cryoballoon catheter in the left atrium of the heart, and moving it to the opening of the pulmonary veins. Next contrast dye is injected to make sure the vein is closed off and the balloon is inflated with extremely cold, liquid refrigerant, damaging the heart tissue and forming a scar. The resultant scarred tissue is no longer able to spread the electrical current that caused the AFib.

• Catheter-based radiofrequency ablation is a procedure in which an electrophysiologist uses radiofrequency energy (electric current) to isolate the pulmonary vein and create scar tissue that blocks the irregular electrical impulses causing AFib. In this procedure, the electrophysiologist inserts the catheters into the blood vessels of the heart's atrium and locates the precise locations of the origination of these abnormal impulses. Then using the radiofrequency energy, produces a scar (ablation) that stops the pathway of abnormal conduction.

• Minimally-invasive hybrid convergent ablation is a procedure that treats both the inside and outside of the heart to address AFib. In this procedure, our cardiovascular surgeon and electrophysiologist work together. Using a small incision and a video scope, our cardiovascular surgeon treats the abnormal tissue on the outside of the heart, while our electrophysiologist treats the abnormal tissue on the inside the heart. This approach is considered for patients where medical therapy is not effective in controlling AFib, medication therapy isn't tolerated well, or if other catheter ablation fails.

Advanced Treatment Options

If you have been taking medication for an arrhythmia and are considering some of these alternative options, talk to your physician. The following BayCare hospitals offer various forms of ablation treatment:

• Morton Plant Hospital
• St. Joseph’s Hospital
• Winter Haven Hospital

Contact Us

If you experience chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, weak, dizzy or faint, CALL 911 immediately.

Suspect you or someone you love has a heart rhythm disorder? For a referral to a cardiologist or a heart rhythm disorder specialist (electrophysiologist), call us at (855) 233-0888 for a physician referral or fill out the form to request a referral.