08/03 2012
Catheter ablation is another
ventricular tachycardia treatment an invasive non-surgical treatment of arrhythmias, which is used to treat supraventricular arrhythmias most part (the ones that are the main cause of the atrium) and, rarely, ventricular arrhythmias. The same procedure as for electrophysiological tests, performed under local anesthesia, a doctor inserts a special probe into the heart and looking for a place that is causing the arrhythmia (supraventricular arrhythmias suitable for the work of "rogue" bundles or nodules in a specific location in the heart), by focusing the X-ray images and electrocardiographic records obtained from the probe tip. When you find the right place, using radiofrequency energy heats the tip of the catheter and thereby intentionally creates a small and defined damage to that part of the muscle (usually the size of 1-2 mm), which breaks through the implementation of the bunch or destroy the activity of nodules that are causing arrhythmias.
In well-selected patients, this is still the treatment of choice because it can mean a cure, ie complete cessation of arrhythmia forever, without the need for further medication. Typical examples of arrhythmias that can be perfectly treated in this way are called. WPW syndrome, or AV nodal reciprocating tachycardia. In recent times this method is used to treat selected patients with atrial fibrillation.
Catheter ablation is a safe procedure with high success and extremely rare complications. Typically lasts 1-2 hours, a patient can be discharged from the hospital, but the same or next day.