Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Our talented surgeons conduct ablation of atrial fibrillation in Rockhill, SC, as an effective treatment for this heart condition.

Understanding AFib

Commonly referred to as AFib, this serious heart condition is associated with arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeats caused by erratic electrical impulses in the heart. If left untreated, complications can occur that include:

• Blood Clots
• Stroke
• Heart Failure

Although AFib can manifest at any age, it is more likely to take place in individuals over the age of 65.

Treatment for AFib

Before surgery is considered, medications and other interventions will be explored to treat this condition. If those avenues prove to be ineffective, the next step may be ablation. There are several forms of ablation, but the basic principle is to cause scarring in the heart that will interrupt the erratic electrical impulses causing AFib. The goal of treatment is to alleviate symptoms and improve the function of the atria.

• Catheter Ablation is the most common ablation method. Long, thin tubes are threaded into the heart and heat is used to create tiny scars which disrupt the signals to the heart that cause the irregular heartbeat. Cryoablation is another variation of this technique that employs the use of extreme cold.
• Maze Ablation refers to the pattern of scar tissue created in the atria. It can be performed during open heart surgery while being treated for other conditions such as coronary artery bypass surgery.
• Atrioventricular (AV) Node Ablation uses the same technique as catheter ablation in the area of the heart called the AV node.