Ablations

[Michelefish]

OK I am new to this site but I am having a ablation in a couple of months for what they think is avnrt do to my bad back and joints they are doing it under general instead of just sedation. Has anyone had a ablation under a general and did it work?

[tom_h]

Sorry, that's MA

[tom_h]

I had mine at UMASS Memorial in Worcester,A.

[Michelefish]

Thank you so much Tom that really helps me alot! Where did you have your ablation done?

[tom_h]

Ahh... your're female so the catheter thing will obviously be a different experience!  It will help greatly if you prepare the "general area" the day before your procedure.  If you're not completely shorn prior to arrival, they will do it for you. I had this done once by an elderly nurse and vowed that it would never happen again.  So I arrived as slick as a baby and easily passed the visual exam.  You will be appropriately draped for the procedure but understand that the access point is right where your leg meets your torso. It's a pucture, not a slice so there are no sutures to remove.  The puncture mark will disappear in a few days.

[tom_h]

Yes, I had my ablation under general anesthesia.  My electrophysiologist actually prefers that method as opposed to unsedated or "twilight" sedation.  After interviewing me and examining my personal log of events, he was quite sure that I'd do fine, and I did.  The mere touching of the heart wall with the catheter caused me to go into SVT, and from there it was apparently very easy to locate and burn.  Mine was left side AVRT which I had since the age of 6.  I was given a hypo of Valium just prior to being wheeled away from my short stay cube.  I barely made it onto the cath lab table.  I remember my arms being propped up so I was comfortable and a mask being placed over my face.  I have severe sleep apnea, so I was intubated after I was alseep  as a precaution.  Because of the CPAP equipment I use for sleeping, the mask was very familiar.  I fell asleep immediately following that.  I awoke about four and a half to five hours later and was alert within minutes.  Within an hour, I was munching on a chicken salad sandwich.  Within 3 hours of waking up, I was dressed and leaving the hospital.

Be advised that they may install a Foley catheter while you're asleep.  This was a new experience for me despite having multiple surgeries for broken bones due to sports injuries, and blowing out both sides of my gut twice. I had never had a catheter before.  I was immediatey  aware of the new addition when I felt the tugging down there, reached down to adjust and discovered that my equipment had been apparently "crated" for shipment.  It was wrapped up with gauze and taped in place.  After the initial surprise, it was fine, and I didn't have to get up to go.  I passed a large amount of fluid from the IV bags being administered.  The catheter was removed when I got up to get dressed.  This was a moment of "holy s---!" for me.  This was perhaps the largest source of pain in the following few days as every time I urinated, it was accompanied by a severe burn worse than anything else felt during the procedure.

Good luck, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.