Yes, Erica I've had several ablations
Yes, Erica I've had several ablations
Hi Erica, I can tell you a good EP doc is worth every penny. Make sure they are 'certified' as an electrophysiologist - some are not. There are so many 'plumbers' and very few "electricians". I would think in order to do an ablation they would 'have' to be certified - but regular check ups they may not be. If your paying for an 'electrician' service - then you should get it.
I've had 1 EP study - lasted 3 hours and I've had 3 ablations - the longest of which took 10 hours on the table.. My shortest ablation I think was around 6 hours.
To be honest - I don't remember a thing during any of the procedures. It is alot like a catherization - only I'm partially awake on those and I was 'NOT' at all awake on my ablations - but they go into you in the same location. In the groin area - you can shave yourself in that prior to your procedure - or they will do it for you before the procedure. I have heard of some patients being awake and didn't like the procedure at all - I would think you could request to be 'under' as I did. I had one overnight stay in the hospital on all my ablations and I went home the same day on the "study". After my 10 hour ablation they did keep a nurse stationed in my room with me the entire night - the other two ablations - I was in a room with another patient and it was the usual check-ins in your room from the nurses.. I don't remember there being any pre-tests. Other than wearing a holter monitor on previous occasions - only I had no 'events' recorded on my AV nodal reentry tachy - before my EP study but they were able to 'touch it off' and ablate it 100%. I had recorded monitor 'events' for my VT ablations.
Its my understanding that in order to 'ablate' the problem - it has to be 'touched off' and if they can't get the rhythm going - then they can't successfully ablate it. Some days I was highly 'electrical' and other days I had no electrical activity. SO it was a hit or miss. Just because they don't get it going one day - doesn't mean its not there - as a holter monitor will show.
My two Ventricular Tachycardias (VT) - were long procedures and on one they ablated 18 spots and the other ablation they ablated 11 spots. SO you see it can depend on how 'electrifying' you are that particular day. VT ablations are very difficult and the success rate for previous heart attack patients is less likely - as scarring tends to make ablating more difficult. Ideopathic VT's are much more successful if thats what you have.
To sum it all up - I had no 'problems' from any of my 3 ablations - but I had a very highly qualified 'electrician' with a good many years of experience.
I always recommend that if you can have someone stay with you till the end of visiting hours your better off. Sometimes the drugs took awhile to wear off on me. So I was kind of out of it for several hours - but my husband - stood by. One hospital got me mixed up with another patient and wanted to give me a 'blood transfusion' - mind you I'm there for an EP study !!! So naturally I objected to the transfusion - seems the lady in the bed beside me - had almost the same name !!! What are the odds of that happening. It has never happened since - but has made me aware - hospitals 'can' make mistakes - and its always good to be on guard - you are your best advocate and you should always ask - what they are doing - and 'why' and make sure they get the right patients name.. Read your "Patients Rights" booklet. I think I read where you can ask for a phone anytime - anywhere and I believe they have to give you one !!! I never tried that in the operating room but - I guess I could have.. I'm not sure my surgeon or EP doc would have liked that.. So I wouldn't personally recomend doing it.
But you should 'always' know your rights. Its your health.
Keep us posted on how it goes and whether they were successful. Different 'types' of ablations have different success rates.. You didn't mention what type of tachy you had - so I covered several types I had.
I hope your ablation is short and successful.
Good Luck
Runner
