Catheter Ablation: Proven Treatment for SVT
A catheter, a flexible, thin tube, is a proven medical tool made up of medical-grade latex, plastic, or silicone. It can help in treating complex heart procedures like VT, AF, WPW syndrome, SVT, and PVCs.
When it is inserted in a patient’s body and uses radiofrequency or cryotherapy to destroy faulty cells, the procedure is medically termed catheter ablation.
Catheter Ablation
Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that removes electrical problems in the heart of a suffering patient. It corrects irregular heartbeat by destroying faulty heart tissues, which leads to irregular electrical signals that ultimately cause serious heart-related complications.
Generally, doctors recommend catheter ablation under several circumstances:
When patients want a permanent fix for the arrhythmia
When medications fail to correct arrhythmias or other heart problems
When symptoms of heart issues are severe, such as extreme palpitations, fainting, dizziness, etc.
When the patient is at risk of major complications like heart failure or stroke due to arrhythmias.
Catheter Ablation for SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia) Treatment
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Finds the origin of the problem
Doctors insert thin catheters in your body through your groin area and guide them into your heart. Then, they use electrophysiological testing to identify the exact affected area where an abnormal circuit that triggers SVT lies. -
Delivers targeted energy
Once inserted at an appropriate location in the heart, the tip of the catheter sends extreme heat (radiofrequency) or cold (cryotherapy) to the affected site. This energy ablates or destroys the faulty heart tissue. -
Blocks the faulty pathway
When a catheter ablates the faulty tissue, it creates scar tissue, which is unable to conduct electricity. Hence, the extra pathway or the loop that makes the heart race faster, gets blocked. -
Restores normal heart rhythm
By removing faulty pathways, signals get to travel the correct way, and it resets your electrical systems to normalcy. Generally SVT can be cured permanently without the requirement of lifelong medication.
Key Takeaway
Catheter ablation is no less than a blessing for people suffering with major heart-rate-related problems. When medications fail to treat arrhythmias and abnormal heart rhythms are recurrent, patients are forced to live with painful and discomforting symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, fainting, palpitations, and a lot more.
If not treated at the right time, abnormal heartbeats can turn into major heart health issues, which can be life-threatening in some cases.
Catheter ablation is a proven way to treat SVT, and the best part is that it is a minimally invasive procedure that has almost non-existent side effects involved. If done by a careful, qualified and experienced electrophysiologist, it will have a high success rate. If you are suffering from SVT or any other heart-related issue, you can consult Dr. Moutaz El Kadri. With more than a decade of experience, he is one of the best specialists you can find in UAE.
FAQs on Catheter Ablation
Is catheter ablation a life-saving treatment?
How long does it take to recover after undergoing ablation?
Catheter ablation is one of the safest and minimally invasive surgeries. Hence, the recovery period is generally much shorter than invasive surgeries. Generally, patients can resume their everyday activities within 1-2 days.
The exact recovery period differs from patient to patient, as it depends on the specific heart issue, current health status, and overall health. Hence, we recommend consulting your doctor about your specific recovery period.
