This page is courtesy of Florida Electrophysiology Associates; The leader in the Southeast United States in complex catheter ablation procedures

Ablations refers to the ability to "ablate" or eliminate something.  In the case of heart rhythm disorders a catheter ablation is used to eliminate an abnormal heart rhythm.  Catheter ablation is in many cases a permanent cure for an otherwise intractable heart rhythm disorder. Not all ablations are alike.  The links on the top of this page will take you to other parts of this web site describing in further details the different types of catheter ablations Florida Electrophysiology Associates offers.

An ablation catheter

In performing an ablation, the doctor inserts a special type of catheter with a heatable tip into the heart.  The electrical system of the heart is mapped using both X-rays and electrical signals from the inside of the heart. The catheter, an ablation catheter, is a very sophisticated medical device indeed.  This catheter is steerable in multiple directions.  At it's tip, the catheter contains a platinum electrode with a very sensitive temperature sensor built into it.  When an ablation is performed, radiofrequency energy is passed through the catheter and into the patient's heart.  Radiofrequency energy heats the tissue in contact with the catheter in a similar manner to the heating which occurs in a microwave oven.  The tissue is heated to the point that it can no longer cause an abnormal heart rhythm.  The heating of the catheter tip is controlled very precisely and temperature measurements are made continuously during catheter heating.

If successful, ablation can be permanently curative for patients heart rhythm disorders.  There are many type of heart rhythm disorders and not all of them are amenable to catheter ablation. Many rhythm problems however are treatable with ablation and for these patients success rates of permanent cure can be very high as a result of an ablation.

The success rate for catheter ablation is very operator dependent.  Inexperienced physicians can take up to 6 hours to perform relatively simple ablations and have lower rates of success then physicians with long experience in this procedure.  The physicians at Florida Electrophysiology associates are experts in catheter ablation, performing hundreds of these procedures yearly.  The overall success rate for our physicians for permanent cure after an eblation exceeds 90% (atrial fibrillation ablations excluded)