Connect
← Return to Ablation recovery time?
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@gloaming
There have been several comments on the different ways ablations are done other than groin entry. My open heart surgery was done by cutting at the base of my sternum with a tube inserted to the back side of my upper left chamber where the burn was applied. They called the procedure, as 2 operations were done, a convergence procedure. I was in hospital for 2 days. That was 10 years ago and I’m now 81 with occasional AFIB and doing everything I can to keep living life!
Replies to "@gloaming There have been several comments on the different ways ablations are done other than groin..."
@grover81
What my electrophysiologist (EP) told me after my last ablation. He found the source of the worst area when he was inside heart and did ablation.
He said I had two other areas causing PVCs but were on the outside of heart and could not be ablated when inside the heart method.
Sounds like your source was on the outside of the heart.
My ablation was done through the groin on June 4th for LV ablation. About 10 years ago had ablation on RV and was also done through groin.
Connect
@grover81 Thanks. I saw a video on YouTube about six years ago describing what the EP called a 'hybrid' ablation procedure where they entered below the sternum and went behind the heart, pierced the pericardium, and ablated the posterior wall of the left atrium. A week later, through the groin and performed the more standard catheter ablation. Some foci are best accessed through the pericardium externally to the heart.
I don't know what the percentage is for groin access over other methods, but I would be confident it is about 10/1 or more. Except for the most difficult and intractable cases, groin access is for internal catheter ablation is going to be the least risky, and all that is necessary.