Posted by Henry Alken on March 06, 2003 at 11:24:41:
In Reply to: catheter ablation posted by bill on March 05, 2003 at 14:06:33:
Bill,
I also had an ablation at Univ of Pa which also converted Atrial Flutter into Afib. I very much regret having the ablation. It was a complete waste of time. I declined the good doctor's fervent wish that I return for further ablations. The reason I had the ablation was that I was too chicken to sign up for the Maze surgery, which is the obvious solution to persistent Afib. I thought an ablation would be an easy way out of my Afib problem. I was wrong.So afterwards, I bit the bullet and traveled to CC, The Best Cardiac Center in the World, and had the Maze by Dr McCarthy. Eight months later, after a "touch-up ablation", I was cured. I am off all those rotten medications and feel great. Pulse rate a rock-solid 70 bpm. I had my Maze at 69 years old. I hope you don't wait that long.
As regards ablations, I believe it is a "work in progress", and will, one day, thanks to American technical expertise be a precise, predictable, one shot procedure - just as the Maze is.
In my conversation with Dr Schweikert at CC regarding stenosis, (posted on this board), he told me that in the worst case, stents could be used to force the veins open. If that did not work then half the lung may have to be removed. PVAs are serious business.