PVC ablation help

It would be some travel for you, but you could try Southern Oregon Cardiology in Medford, OR. They have excellent cardiologists and a couple electrophysiologists (EPs), who work on the electrical system of the heart. You could also try OHSU in Portland. I'm not familiar with their cardiology department, but they're usually on the cutting edge of medical procedures.
Good luck!

I just got back home to Bozeman MT from Mayo in Rochester, MN. I had a 3 day work up for PVC ablation. (Im scheduled for the procedure in September). My cardiologist recommended having it done there, plus I’ve researched extensively + knew it was one of a handful of world renowned facilities for cardiac procedures. There are several EPs there, and the EP I saw has done thousands. I was very impressed with everything there! I was an RN for 40 years, so I’m not easily impressed! Ha ha. (I worked at the hospital in Bend OR for 25 years as well as others). It was very easy to get around while at Mayo…. Shuttles + hotels everywhere. A really seamless experience! From what I know, PVC ablations are a bit trickier than atrial ablations, so you really want to go someplace that’s cutting edge where they’ve done thousands. I’m 77 but very active with a 20% PVC burden. Best of luck to you!

Sounds like you may need an Electrophysiologist. Salem or Corvallis hospitals should have
something that can help you. Might check WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-an-electrophysiologist.

If you are willing to travel to San Francisco I can highly recommend Dr. Shadi Kalantarian of Silicon Valley Cardiology in Redwood City.

@annieo123
The experts in ablation and electrical functions of heart are electrophysiologists (EP). You should look for a EP in your area that is at a experienced and at a major medical facility.

You could consider traveling to a major institutions like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins and having it done there and they will work with your local EP or cardiologist of you don't have EPs.

@anniemoe77 Thanks for sharing your experience at the Mayo Clinic. My husband was having a 22% burden, which was coming from different areas in the left ventricle. Were your PVCs only coming from one area? The doc said that an ablation wasn't recommended for my husband since the PVC emanated from so many areas. I wonder if docs would consider an ablation at the Mayo Clinic?

@mikeandtina The EP I saw at Mayo thought my PVCs were coming from one place in the left ventricle + possibly another place in the right Ventricle. Because of this he’d have to go into both the Rt + Lt sides of my heart. This requires going up through the femoral artery as well as femoral vein. (accessed via the groin). Sounds like they map it out at the beginning of the procedure so they zap the right spots. If you’re not near one of the more cutting edge heart facilities, I think it might be worth the trip to Mayo or one of the others, to at least speak to an EP there, since they’re used to more problematic heart issues. You might ask your cardiologist his opinion about going there? I got an appt. pretty quickly. I spent 3 days there getting an echo, holter, labs, ekg + met with the EP on day 4. He went over the current tests as well as all my local testing + previous history. Then if you’re a good candidate for ablation, it does take a few months to schedule it. I flew to Minneapolis + there’s a shuttle that runs to Rochester. Once you’re in a hotel, there are shuttles to Mayo quite often. Best of luck! Having a high PVC burden is not fun.:((

Thank you so much for your helpful reply, Annie. Have a great day!

@mikeandtina
I just had a LV ablation on LV on June 4th at Mayo Jacksonville.

From the Holter monitors EP knew I had 3 different areas of PVCs irritated heart. He came up the groin area and from what I remember he said you go through the RV to get to the LV. He did an ablation on the most culprit PVC area in LV.

He mention I had two other areas causing PVCs. However he said they are coming from outside on the heart and cannot be reached internally where he was. He would need to do external heart ablation. He said they were not bad enough to do that.

You cannot do any better if you can go to a Mayo or Cleveland Clinics. I am fortunate enough to have the best EP recognized (just listed in medical magazine for Jacksonville area) in Jacksonville area Dr. Kusumoto.

He is the president of the Electrophysiology Group and is the Director of May Jacksonville Pace Clinic and Electrophysiology Department.

So I join your frustrations of the PVCs coming from different areas. About 10 years ago had RV ablation.

Thank you all so much for your replies and comments:). Just had 3 glorious days PVC free except for a few minutes and then, of course- last night had them all night long. I’ m feeling SO discouraged. Trying very hard to adjust my life but feeling so sad that I can barely commit to anything since it is all so random and so disabling when it happens. Thank goodness I have a caring husband.

I’ m wondering if anyone has taken spironolactone ? It was added at a small dose along with Losartan and chlorthalidone for HBP. This after trying amlopidine, diazepam, and metropolis for HBP and PVC. None helped and some seemed to make it worse. The roller coaster ride is really psychologically exhausting. I just read somewhere that a patient got an “ emergency “ supply of benzo like Lorazepam for the digeminaln and trigeminal episodes which are terrifying. Anyone do that? Aug 13 I have a cardiac MRI to make sure my heart is healthy. So far- no adrenal masses, no renal artery problems . My potassium was low when this started and is being checked again today after a month in spironolactone . Thanks for letting me vent ! I’ m so tired.