Cardiac ablation for Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
If you’ve been diagnosed with AF, cardiac ablation may be an option.
It could give you long-term relief and improve your quality of life.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial Fibrillation (also known as AF) is an irregular rapid heart rhythm which affects the upper chambers of the heart. The upper chambers quiver instead of pumping normally and this affects the blood being pumped around the body efficiently. A normal heart rate beats approximately 60-100 beats per minute.
Some people experience these symptoms of atrial fibrillation:
- Heart sensations, sometimes called palpitations, which may include irregular, thumping, or pounding heartbeat
- A feeling that your heart is racing
- Chest discomfort or pain
- Fainting or light-headedness
- Fatigue, shortness of breath, or weakness
There are several treatment options cardiac ablation being one of them. Together, you and your doctor can determine which treatment is best for you.
What is cardiac ablation?
Cardiac ablation is a minimally invasive procedure in which the doctor threads a flexible thin tube (catheter) through the blood vessels to your heart to terminate (ablate) abnormal electrical pathways in the heart tissue.
The goal of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation is to eliminate the AF by preventing unwanted electrical currents, which typically travel from the pulmonary veins (large blood vessels that carry blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart) to the upper chambers of the heart.
Over 90% of abnormal signals triggering AF are located near the pulmonary veins.1
Different catheter-based ablation devices and techniques may be used, including:
PFA (Pulse Field Ablation) is a new treatment for atrial fibrillation. It uses controlled electrical pulses to create tiny openings in the heart cells which help to stop the abnormal signals that create atrial fibrillation.
PFA preferentially targets heart cells with minimal risk to surrounding tissues. It may be a shorter procedure, may reduce complications and can also provide a faster recovery time.
Watch the Pulse Select Catheter video below to see how a dual energy ablation works.
The goal of a dual energy ablation procedure, using radiofrequency (RF) and pulsed field (PF) energy, is to stop unwanted electrical signals causing the irregular heart rhythm. RF and PF energy allows for specific areas within the heart to be treated where the unwanted electrical signals are coming from.
Watch the Sphere-9 Ablation Catheter video below to see how a dual energy ablation works.
Cryoablation involves freezing the tissue around the pulmonary veins to block the signals triggering AF from entering the heart.
Withcryoablation, each vein can often be treated in a single step (single-shot), making the procedure efficient and effective. It is also one of the most widely studied and proven techniques for AF treatment worldwide
Watch the video below to see how the Arctic Front Advance ProTM cryoablation system works.
Additional resources
Patient STORIES
Paul's story
Paul talks about his symptoms and treatment with the Medtronic Cryoballoon cardiac ablation procedure.
Patient videos
AF symptoms
Learn more about AF symptoms.
Patient videos
AF treatments
Learn more about AF treatment options.
References
1. Haïssaguerre M, et al. N Engl J Med 1998; 339:659-666
Brief Statement
Information contained herein is not medical advice and should not be used as an alternative to speaking with your doctor. Discuss indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, adverse events and any further information with your health care professional. Please note that the intended use of a product may vary depending on geographical approvals. Medtronic products placed on European markets comply with EU and UK legislation (if applicable) on medical devices.