Flutter.  Fibrillation. Tachycardia.

All three terms describe a problem, when the heart muscles aren’t receiving the proper electrical signals.  The result?  Erratic heart beats.

Some of the most common occur in the upper chamber of the heart – the atrium. In Atrial Fibrillation or Atrial Flutter, wayward electrical signals send the heart beating about 300 times a minute – four times the normal rate.

Some abnormal heart rhythms can be treated with medication or a change in lifestyle. Unfortunately, these treatments are not always successful.

“Luckily, there is a treatment called cardiac ablation that can be used for arrhythmias in the upper chamber of the heart,” says McLeod Electrophysiologist Dr. Prabal Guha.  “It’s successful in more than 90% of patients. To fix this electrical short circuit, we need to go into the heart and eliminate the faulty or extra pulses.”

First, the patient has Electrophysiology study by placing small wires through a blood vessel into the heart to map the electrical paths and pulses.

When the problem pulses or locations are identified, tissue causing the short circuit is destroyed – returning the heart’s rhythm to normal.

The Electrophysiologist uses one of several methods to “ablate” the tissue:

• Radiofrequency ablation.  An electrical signal is sent through the catheter into the heart, creating heat, similar to a microwave.  The heat destroys the abnormal tissue, leaving small lesions.
• Cryoablation.  Rather than heat, this technique uses cold directed through a probe into the heart, freezing the abnormal tissue.

On some patients, the ablation is performed while the patient is having the EP study.  Other times, a patient is scheduled for the ablation at a later appointment.

During the procedure – which normally lasts 2 to 4 hours – a patient may feel some minor discomfort and light-headedness. As the procedure progresses, the patient may feel their heart beat change.

After the procedure, the patient lies flat in a recovery area for several hours and is usually sent home the same day. They’ll feel fatigue and an achy chest for a few days. They may also notice the heart adjusting to its new pattern.

Find a Cardiologist near you.

Sources include: McLeod Health, National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, Canadian Heart Rhythm Society, Heart Rhythm Society (US).