Posted by Karen Kruse on July 24, 2001 at 21:38:21:
In Reply to: Ablation / Maze Procedure posted by Rose Rice on July 20, 2001 at 22:04:10:
Please be aware that ablation is done EITHER through catheterization or full open heart surgery. Since my cardiologist had me thoroughly research the treatments, I read several medical studies about RF ablation. Because the catheterization technique was no where near as successful as open heart, I had RF ablation via full open heart - well, it will 7 weeks ago this Thursday. The surgeon burned a circle around the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein, connected the circles, and did a couple of other stiching jobs. I was the 16th one he had done, and the first one who had no other underlying heart disease. I had one episoe of afib that started 2 weeks after the surgery, and unfortunately lasted 9 days until I was able to get cardioverted. Since then, I have stayed in rhythm. In addition, since I'm not on so much medication, my pulse rate has gone back to 66-72 from 48-52. This has caused my metabolism to pick up, and I've lost about 12 pounds. I hope to get off all the 50 pounds the medication put on me and then some. Because of the post-op afib, I'm back on amiodarone, but at reducing doses, and should be off of it, God willing and the creek don't rise, in a few weeks.
I had mine done at University of Chicago Medical Center by Dr. Jeevanandam, and I would recommend him most highly.