Cardiac Ablation

Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) can disrupt daily life and cause serious health conditions such as blood clots and stroke. While medications can help manage arrhythmias, they may stop working after a period of time or cause unwanted side effects.

For many people, cardiac ablation offers a safe and effective long-term solution for arrhythmia. At Baystate Health, our cardiologists have deep experience using the latest advances in cardiac ablation to protect your heart. We’re here to help restore your normal heart rhythm and get you back to your everyday life.

What Is Cardiac Ablation?

Cardiac ablation, also known as catheter ablation or heart ablation, is a minimally invasive procedure to correct an abnormal heart rhythm. During the procedure, your doctor uses heat, cold, or electrical energy to destroy the heart tissue causing the arrhythmia, restoring a regular heart rhythm.

At Baystate, we use cardiac ablation to treat many types of arrhythmia:

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Atrial tachycardias (AT)
• Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)
• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
• Ventricular tachycardia (VT)

We offer three types of cardiac ablations:

• Pulse field ablation, the latest option for treating for AFib, uses electrical energy
• Cryoablation, which uses extreme cold to treat all types of arrhythmias
• Radiofrequency ablation, which uses heat energy to treat all types of arrhythmias

Why Choose Baystate Health for Cardiac Ablation?

When you come to us for care, you’ll have a team of cardiologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and technicians working together to keep you safe and comfortable.

Our team is highly skilled in the latest cardiac ablation techniques, including pulse field ablation. We were one of the earliest adopters of pulse field ablation and remain the only medical center in western Massachusetts performing this procedure.

As one of the highest volume treatment sites in western Massachusetts, we care for more than a thousand people needing cardiac ablations every year (50 is considered high volume). Our team’s extensive experience translates to safer care and more reliable results for you.

Benefits of Cardiac Ablation

For people with severe arrhythmia, cardiac ablation can be a highly effective procedure that helps restore a normal heart rhythm. Other benefits include:

• Reduced arrhythmia symptoms, including relief for shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, and fatigue
• Fast recovery, with minimal discomfort and the ability to go home the same day as the procedure
• Long-lasting results that can prevent the need for daily, lifelong medication in some cases

Pulse field ablation has the added benefit of reducing the risk of heat-related complications to nearby tissue that can occur with traditional ablation.

Risks of Cardiac Ablation

Major complications from cardiac ablation are very rare. At Baystate, our experts bring extensive experience to every type of cardiac ablation to help keep you safe.

If complications happen during or after cardiac ablation, they may include:

• Bleeding around the groin
• Bleeding around the heart
• Fistula (with cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation)
• Heart attack
• Need for a pacemaker
• Stroke

What to Expect Before Cardiac Ablation

Your cardiologist will explain your options, address your concerns, and help you choose the type of cardiac ablation that’s right for you. If you choose to have a cardiac ablation, you may first have imaging scans, such as computed tomography (CT) scans.

Before your ablation procedure, a nurse will call you to review your medications and imaging test results. They can also answer any questions you have about the procedure.

On procedure day, you’ll be greeted by a care unit nurse who will:

1. Check you in
2. Review the procedure with you and make sure you understand it
3. Obtain informed consent with you, your doctor, and your anesthesiologist
4. Insert an IV into your arm

What Happens During Cardiac Ablation

You will be asleep for the entire procedure and should not feel any pain. During the procedure, your cardiologist will:

1. Insert a thin wire called a catheter into a blood vessel near your groin
2. Guide the catheter into your heart using X-rays
3. Map your heart to identify specific problem areas
4. Use the catheter to painlessly treat the areas causing irregular rhythms
5. Remove the catheter
6. Apply gentle pressure to the entry site to prevent bleeding

Recovery After Cardiac Ablation

After your procedure, you’ll stay in the recovery room for two to four hours. You’ll be monitored by nurses who specialize in caring for cardiac ablation patients. Their expertise helps support a smooth recovery so you can safely go home the same day.

You might feel some mild discomfort at the catheter site in your groin for a day or two after the procedure. This is typically minor and can be treated with over-the-counter pain medication.

You’ll likely have a follow-up appointment after four to six weeks. Many patients achieve lasting results with a single ablation, while others may benefit from additional treatment. In some cases, a repeat procedure may be recommended to establish and maintain a regular heart rhythm.

Our teams are dedicated to helping you achieve a regular heart rhythm and feel your best. We’ll partner with you every step of the way to keep your heart safe and healthy.