Ten things to expect after AF ablation

Here is a list of ten things to say about the experience of having an AF ablation. (Note: This list concerns standard radio frequency catheter ablation for AF.) 1. AF ablation is a big deal: The first thing to say about AF ablation is that it is a big procedure. I tell patients to expect AF ablation to be hard on them. How could it be easy to undergo hours of general anesthesia, insertion of big tubes in the leg veins, 50-75 burns in the atrium and hours of bed rest? Although a minority sail through the recovery without complaints, most patients tell me they were surprised at how hard it was on them. I recommend taking a few weeks off after the procedure. Specifically, I say…read books, watch movies, write a blog, take short walks. but don’t go back to full-gas exercise or work for a couple of weeks. 2. Chest pain is common:  A majority of patients have chest pain for a few days after the procedure. The severity of the pain varies a lot. Most often, it hurts to take a deep breath or cough. Some patients say their chest feels tight. These symptoms are likely due to irritation of the lining of the heart, called the pericardium. It’s hard to predict who will get post-procedural chest pain. Sometimes you do extensive ablation and there is no pain, while other times you have an easy ablation and there is severe pain. It resolves over days. 3. Pain at the insertion site in the groin: It’s common to have soreness at the insertion site in the groins. We acce...
Source: Dr John M - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: blogs