Cardiac Ablation

Cardiac ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that can help your heart start beating normally again. It is one of the most effective ways to treat different types of arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats).

Our approach to cardiac ablation

If you have atrial fibrillation or another type of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), cardiac ablation may be an option for you. 

The procedure disrupts the irregular electrical pathways in your heart that are causing your arrhythmia. This helps normalize your heartbeat, which can then improve your arrhythmia symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.

Our electrophysiology team at UCI Health has extensive experience successfully treating arrhythmias with cardiac ablation. With advanced cardiac mapping technology, our team accurately pinpoints the location of your arrhythmia and then targets that during your ablation. 

The goal for this procedure is to:

• Improve your quality of life 
• Reduce your risk for stroke and other health conditions associated with arrhythmia

After your ablation, our team will continue to follow up with you to ensure that you maintain a normal heartbeat. They’ll also help you know what to expect as you ease back into activity 

Am I a candidate for cardiac ablation?

Determining if cardiac ablation is right for you, depends on two important factors:

• The location and type of arrhythmia you have 
• How your arrhythmia is affecting your quality of life and health

When you come to UCI Health, our electrophysiologists start by having an open, honest conversation with you. They are committed to really listening to you and understanding how your arrhythmia affects your life. 

You and your electrophysiologist will discuss:

• Your symptoms
• How your arrhythmia affects your everyday life
• How your arrhythmia affects your overall health
• The risks and benefits of cardiac ablation
• Your goals for treatment and preferences
• Other treatment options

If your arrhythmia is very severe, debilitating and hindering your quality of life, cardiac ablation may be a good option.

Cardiac ablation for AFib, SVT and other arrhythmias

At UCI Health, we specialize in cardiac ablations for even the most complex arrhythmias. 

We offer cardiac ablation for a wide range of arrhythmias, including:

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Atrial flutter
• Atrial tachycardia
• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
• Ventricular tachycardia

Benefits of cardiac ablation

One of the biggest benefits of cardiac ablation is that it can help improve your arrhythmia symptoms, like fatigue and shortness of breath.

Additionally, if you have a cardiac ablation, you may not need to take antiarrhythmic medications. 

However, your doctor and you will discuss that having an ablation does not lower your risk for stroke. So, you will likely still need to take blood thinner medications. 

What to expect with cardiac ablation

At UCI Health, you’ll have your cardiac ablation in our EP lab at the hospital. Your care team will administer anesthesia to keep you comfortable and asleep throughout the procedure.

Here’s what you can expect during the procedure:

• Once you’re under anesthesia, your electrophysiologist and interventional cardiologist will work together to perform the cardiac ablation. 
• They’ll start by inserting a thin tube (catheter) into a blood vessel near your groin.
• They’ll use image-guided technology to move the catheter to the specific areas of your heart that are causing the arrhythmia.
• They’ll then deliver hot or cold energy to the specific areas to prevent electrical signals that are causing the irregular heartbeats.
• The procedure typically takes about three to four hours.

Recovery after cardiac ablation

After your cardiac ablation, you’ll rest in a recovery room for a couple of hours.

• Your nurses will monitor you as you come out of anesthesia.
• They’ll address any pain or swelling at the incision site.
• After you’re fully awake, your care team will discuss the results of the ablation.
• They’ll give you instructions for your recovery at home.
• You’ll likely be able to go home the same day as your procedure.
• After a few days of rest at home, you’ll likely be able to resume normal activities.
• You’ll have a follow-up appointment with your electrophysiologist within two to three weeks of your procedure.

Why choose UCI Health for cardiac ablation?

High ablation success rates

Cardiac ablation can help manage your arrhythmia, and in some cases, cure it. Clinicians at UCI Health are highly experienced in performing cardiac ablation and treat a high volume of people. This expertise is evident in high ablation success rates at UCI Health, which align with or exceed national success rates. For instance, our cure rate for AFib with cardiac ablation is about 70%. And cure rates for SVT or atrial flutter are around 80% to 85%. 

Two experts, one procedure

When you have a cardiac ablation at UCI Health, you’ll have two specialized doctors performing your procedure. Our electrophysiologists and interventional cardiologists work together, each bringing their own expertise to successfully treat your arrhythmia with ablation. 

Advanced heart mapping 

Accurately diagnosing the type and location of an arrhythmia is one of the most important aspects of arrhythmia care. UCI Health’s The advanced cardiac mapping technology at UCI Health allows us to pinpoint the exact location of your arrhythmia down to the millimeter. This means you can be confident that your team is precisely targeting the right areas to treat the arrhythmia during your cardiac ablation.

Ablation with an EP study

 You may get cardiac ablation at the same time as your electrophysiology study (EP study), a test to diagnose arrhythmias. If your provider finds a specific type of arrhythmia, they may be able to treat it during the test. Getting the test and treatment done at the same time means you’ll have fewer procedures and quicker recovery.