Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Arrhythmias)
Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Arrhythmias)
You can think of this procedure as rewiring to fix an electrical problem within the heart.
The doctor will insert a catheter through the leg. The catheter delivers high-frequency electrical energy to a small area inside the heart that causes the abnormal heart rhythm. This energy "disconnects" the pathway of the abnormal rhythm.
Doctors use ablation to treat most PSVTs, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and some atrial and ventricular tachycardias. Some people also need other procedures.
The Maze procedure is a type of surgery used to correct atrial fibrillation. During this procedure, the surgeon makes a series, or "maze," of cuts in the heart's upper chambers. The goal is to keep the heart's electrical impulses only on certain pathways. Some people may need a pacemaker afterward.
In this article
- Causes and Types of of Arrhythmias
- Symptoms of Arrhythmias
- Diagnosis of Arrhythmias
- Treatment of Arrhythmias
- What Is Electrical Cardioversion?
- What Is a Pacemaker?
- What Is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)?
- What Is Catheter Ablation?
- Heart Surgery for Arrhythmias
What Is Catheter Ablation?
You can think of this procedure as rewiring to fix an electrical problem within the heart.
The doctor will insert a catheter through the leg. The catheter delivers high-frequency electrical energy to a small area inside the heart that causes the abnormal heart rhythm. This energy "disconnects" the pathway of the abnormal rhythm.
Doctors use ablation to treat most PSVTs, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and some atrial and ventricular tachycardias. Some people also need other procedures.
Heart Surgery for Arrhythmias
The Maze procedure is a type of surgery used to correct atrial fibrillation. During this procedure, the surgeon makes a series, or "maze," of cuts in the heart's upper chambers. The goal is to keep the heart's electrical impulses only on certain pathways. Some people may need a pacemaker afterward.
