Heart Ablation surgery is the procedure used to remove abnormal tissues. These abnormal tissues may generate irregular(abnormal) electrical impulses that might interfere with regular(normal) impulses produced by heart. It is known that in abnormal growth tissue top chambers of the heart “quiver” instead of producing a full, regular heartbeat. Since it doesn’t have a full beat to push the blood out, blood might get left behind in those upper chambers. The blood left behind is at risk for developing clots, which could then lead to stroke or a heart attack (read about cardiac ablation risks here)
When you have this irregular heart rhythm, or heart arrhythmias, there are a few options for treatment. This condition is very common amongst adults, so you don’t have to worry when you have a heart palpitation or your heart seems to skip a beat every so often. Once your condition is diagnosed, your doctor can perform one of four different types of heart ablation surgery procedures. Three are surgical and usually on an outpatient basis and one is non-surgical and can be performed in a doctor’s office. All of the procedures have a very high rate of success, with all of them over 90%.
The three types of heart ablation surgery procedures are called the Maze procedure, the modified Maze and minimally invasive surgical ablation. The non-surgical procedure is done in the lab with electrodes. The electrodes are hooked to the body and the doctor will send electric impulses to jolt the heart back in to its regular beat. Once the procedure is done, the patient can usually go home right away to rest. They will not be allowed to drive, as light anesthetics are used.
The Maze procedure – invasive heart ablation surgery
The Maze procedure is the most invasive and will require the longest recovery time, as it is an open-heart procedure. The team performing the surgery quickly and temporarily stop the heart while the surgeon will go in to the heart’s chambers and make tiny incisions in the muscle material. The incisions will prevent the abnormal impulses from traveling in the muscle walls giving you an irregular heartbeat. Recovery time from this procedure is usually a few days in the hospital before returning home to limited activity for a few days or weeks while the incision heals.
The modified Maze procedure – less invasive form
The modified Maze procedure is when a catheter is inserted in the body, usually from the groin area, and goes up to the heart. The catheter delivers a shock wave in one of various different methods that will destroy the path the irregular electrical impulses take. With the interruption in their path, the impulses cannot create abnormal beats of the heart (listen to catheter ablation patient interviews here) . Super-Ventricular Tachycardia (SVT) is an example of minimally invasive ablation procedure that involves catheter which is usually inserted through the groin area (read about SVT Ablation here)
The modified Maze is the most popular surgical form because it can be done on an outpatient basis. Once the bleeding is controlled (if there is any) from the catheter insertion point, the patient can usually go home in a couple of hours. The doctors may limit activity for several hours or days, to make sure the procedure was successful and that the insertion point doesn’t start to bleed again.
This heart ablation surgery procedure also uses scopes, but they are inserted through small incisions within the chest itself. Tiny incisions are cut in to the heart via the scope to interrupt the irregular impulses. The patient will usually have to spend one night after the procedure to make sure the insertion points and the incisions are healing properly.
Heart ablation surgery is very successful in eliminating irregular heartbeats, abnormal heartbeats or rhythms that can get too fast or too slow. Depending on your overall health and the severity of your irregular heartbeats, will determine which procedure the doctor opts for you to have. Having the procedure is safer than not having it and continuing to be at risk for a clot or a stroke. Heart ablation surgery is a procedure that involves benefits and risks that is why you must talk to your doctor first.