This is a general term that describes some of the procedures that we perform.
Ablation is the process that modifies small parts of the heart muscle that are responsible for the abnormal heart rhythms or palpitations. Usually this is done by heating the area using radiofrequency electric current at the end of a catheter that is placed in contact with the heart muscle.
Some centres use freezing rather than heating to achieve the same effect. Once that part of the heart muscle is modified it no longer conducts electrical impulses so the palpitations that originate from that area stop. The heating inside the heart can be painful so all these procedures are undertaken with heavy sedation and very strong pain relief which is given before the procedure. The common ablation procedures are atrial fibrillation ablation, flutter ablation, supra-ventricular tachycardia ablation and ventricular tachycardia ablation. These are explained further in the following sections.
