Botched Ablation with A-Fib

I'm a 39 year old male. This question might only hit a small minority around here but I wanted to throw it out. In 2000 I never had any heart issues but got the flu that summer. A severe strain attacked my heart and almost killed me. Viral myocarditis. I miraculously recovered fully with the exception of some A-fib because of it. The A-fib only presented once every year and a half to 2 1/2 years. I was taking Zebeta and Monopril. The first many years I'd go to get it cardioverted but then the last 2-3 years Arrythmol/Propefenone would put it back into rhythm. Last year it went out 3 times and my cardiologist suggested I get it ablated because I was a) young, b) my heart was completely healthy and c) all other factors made it where there was a really good chance of success.

So November of this past year I went in for the catheter ablation of the PVs and it turned nightmarish. They barely got the left two veins ablated when the catheter of the robot arm pierced my heart. They couldn't control the bleeding and they had to have emergency surgery where they opened me up and fixed the hole and finished the other two right veins. It was horrible for us and the painful recovery over the next months was hard. Especially with a 17 month old and a pregnant wife. So the first two months I had no A-fib or flutters in the recovery phase. At the end of month 2 and into month 3 I had 3 separate A-fib episodes that lasted anywhere from 20 seconds to 9 hours. 2 of them were put back with the Arrythmol. So the guy who started the ablatation took it as this was a failure. Considering I barely had it before but now had it 3 times in a month and was cut open..I was a little incredulous. A 2nd opinion was nice and he told me there was still a slight chance at full success because I was also healing from the cracked open sternum and cut. I haven't had anything in weeks and have been going back to doing yardwork, etc.

I skipped alot but my question is...has anyone been trhough anything similar and did the 3 months window of A-Fibs during recovery happen later in the 3 months?Did you get a second ablation?Were the episiodes any different post surgery?

Thanks

[twinbee]

Where did you have your ablation done? Did you go to Austin and see Dr. Natale?

[Topher7]

I had it done in Houston. Actually most of the docs here are top of the line and Memorial and the DeBakey Heart Center is considered one of the top heart hospitals in the world. My specialist though was from Baylor College of Medicine and had a good record but we performed the procedure at Memorial because my regular cardiologist is a member there. Luckily the surgeon who saved me was one of the best. It was just an all around nightmare and I feel lucky to be here. They told me it was real touch and go for a bit.

[Topher7]

I also am really happy to have a new specialist that is with DeBakey and is highly recommended.