About the Procedure
Radiofrequency ablation is often prescribed for those who experience discomfort and fear from symptoms such as episodes of rapid heart rate, chest palpitations, irregular pulse - in short, heart rhythm disturbances. Such complaints are characteristic of patients with arrhythmia.
What diagnoses fall under this concept? Primarily, it includes atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter (atrial fibrillation), as well as extrasystole (ventricular or atrial), WPW syndrome (Wolff-Parkinson-White), supraventricular and ventricular tachycardias. If you have one of the listed conditions, we are happy to offer our help. If you are concerned about heart rhythm disturbances but the exact diagnosis has not yet been established for any reason, feel free to consult our arrhythmia specialists to identify the nature of the arrhythmia and select the optimal treatment method.
The Center for Cardiovascular Surgery and Interventional Cardiology provides comprehensive diagnostics and modern surgical treatment - radiofrequency catheter ablation of the heart (RFCA). This method began to be widely used back in the 1980s, but at that time, the effectiveness we have now was only a dream. To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to evaluate electrocardiography (ECG), 24-hour ECG monitoring (Holter), and echocardiography (Echo of the heart). If further diagnosis is required, endocardial (intracardiac) electrophysiological study (endo-EPS) is performed in the X-ray operating room, which allows to accurately determine the nature of the arrhythmia with a precision of up to 99% and start treatment.
So, what is endo-EPS and RFCA heart surgery? After anesthesia, through punctures in the thigh and subclavian areas, a cardiothoracic surgeon-electrophysiologist introduces the necessary instruments-electrodes, which are flexible wires with a tip that reads information from the inner lining of the heart. Under X-ray control, the electrodes are placed according to the scheme in the atria (right or left) and right ventricle. With the help of a special computer laboratory to facilitate the surgeon's work and for arrhythmia diagnosis, a 3D model-reconstruction of the heart chambers is performed, allowing visual assessment of how the electrical signals pass and take into account individual anatomical features.
After establishing an accurate diagnosis, a so-called «therapeutic» electrode (catheter) is additionally inserted through the described accesses. A high-frequency current (radiofrequency in the range of 300 kHz - 1 MHz) is applied to its distal part, which is 3 mm in size, for targeted impact on the arrhythmia focus.
After performing ablation surgery on the heart, you stay in the cardiothoracic surgical department, where postoperative observation is carried out. But do not worry, the average length of hospital stay is 2-3 days, after which patients are discharged home with recommendations.
During radiofrequency ablation of the heart, healthy tissues are not traumatized but scarred, and heart cells regenerate on their own, so the frequency of complications at the High Medical Technologies Clinic does not exceed 1.5%.
The recovery period after RFCA heart surgery depends not only on the successful operation but also on following the recommendations, so do not forget to follow them and visit your cardiologist in a timely manner!