What is Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) Ablation?

Atrial fibrillation ablation is a percutaneous procedure (not open heart surgery) that is performed to try to correct the heart rhythm – or stop Afib.

Afib causes the upper chamber of your heart to quiver fast. This is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the atria. The procedure targets the areas with abnormal activity.

Afib ablation is a procedure performed by cardiac electrophysiologists, cardiologists specialized in heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias). Patients typically spend one night in the hospital.

Reestablishing the normal rhythm of the heart can significantly improve quality of life.

Please watch our brief presentation to learn more about Afib ablation.

Radiofrequency Ablation of the pulmonary veins:

Ablation catheter is positioned at pulmonary vein and ablation is performed by heating the tissue. Ablation is guided by a circular catheter called Lasso

Cryoballoon Ablation of the Pulmonary Vein:

Cryoballoon positioned at the pulmonary vein and ablation is performed by getting the tissue around the vein down to very cold temperatures.

Afib ablation is the best option for patients that have failed or have not tolerated medications. Ablation is the only treatment option that could cure Afib.

Afib Ablation and X-ray Exposure

Afib ablation is typically performed using fluoroscopy (X-ray image) and a 3D mapping system. High exposure to X-ray can be detrimental, and it may even cause cancer or blood disorders. We perform Afib ablations using minimal or even no fluoroscopy at all. Most procedures at our center use about 30-40 seconds of fluoroscopy, while in most centers in the country over 30 minutes are used for each case.

We have experience in performing procedures using minimal or no fluoroscopy, and over 300 procedures have been performed using this novel technique.

Atrial fibrillation ablation is a great option for patients whose quality of life was affected by Afib.