Catheter Ablation for Heart Rhythm Disorders (Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoablation)

A problem with the conduction system in your heart can cause it to beat too fast or too slow or to have an erratic or irregular beat. Catheter ablation is a medical procedure that uses radiofrequency or cold energy to inactivate small areas of heart tissue that can cause abnormal heart rhythms. This helps restore a normal heart rhythm without damaging the rest of your heart muscle.

A local anesthetic is used to numb the skin near your groin before the procedure begins. A small needle and thin tube, called a sheath, are inserted into a blood vessel in this area. A flexible tube, called a catheter, is inserted through the sheath and into your blood vessel, then carefully guided up to your heart.

Before ablation, your heart's electrical system will be mapped using specialized catheters to identify the areas of your heart that need to be treated. Once the catheter reaches the abnormal area in the heart, electrodes at the tip of the catheter emit radio energy. This energy will heat and inactivate the small areas of the heart tissue that allow the abnormal rhythm.

Sometimes cold rather than radio energy is used to freeze the abnormal tissue. In most cases, your heart returns to a normal rhythm following ablation. Some patients may require medication or a pacemaker to maintain a regular rhythm.