Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a widely performed non-surgical procedure used to treat some types of arrhythmia, most often for supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. It’s a popular treatment method because of its high success rate and low risk of complications.
Your physician will determine the exact location of the arrhythmia source during an electrophysiology study (EPS) and, when possible, he or she will perform the RF ablation right after the study.
The Procedure
During the procedure, your physician guides a catheter with an electrode at its tip using fluoroscopy to the area of heart muscle that is causing the arrhythmia. Images from the fluoroscope are displayed on a video screen.
These images help the doctor place the catheter at the exact site inside the heart where cells give off the electrical signals that cause the abnormal heart rhythm. The physician then administers a highly localized, painless pulse of radiofrequency energy that destroys the problem heart muscle cells. That stops the area from conducting the extra electrical impulses that caused the arrhythmia.
Patients who are treated with RF ablation can usually resume normal activities in a few days. It causes little or no discomfort and is done under mild sedation with local anesthesia.