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Avatar universal

It's back!!! AVNRT and WPW?

Hello, I'm a 27 y/o male who was diagnosed with AVNRT and WPW last year. I have had two ablation surgeries ( first one fixed AVNRT and was unsuccessful with the WPW) and was told everything was fixed after the second surgery and would never return again. It's been nearly a year since my last surgery with no problems what so ever besides the occasional palpatation lasting 1-5 seconds, maybe once a month. Here recently though I've had 4 episodes of SVT in the last 3 days lasting nearly 5 minutes before I convert myself using vagal manuvers. I have an appointment set up with my cardiologist but thats 3 weeks out. These episodes are more intense in that they totally drain me to the point of complete exhaustion, even though they do not last as long as my previous episodes a year ago. My questions are: Even though I was told it was 100% fixed, could it have not fully been fixed even though they could not recreate the rhythm? Can the electrical pathways regrow? Where can I find more studies on these subjects?  Thanks, Rich
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Avatar universal
I’m 100% disabled from my injuries as a Marine. I’ve had many back surgeries and my primary issues are from surgeries vs the original injuries. Also, I had amazing relief from a stimulator only to have it begin electrocuting me on week 11. I’ve had close to 100 steroid injections and have a detached retina from steroids.

What next?

Both civilian and VA doctors want to do an ablation and are beginning to turn me away for pain management if I don’t accept ablation (as that is “the most conservative approach”).

However, I’ve personally known two people that swore anlation was amazing only to curse it a few years later after the nerves grew back and they were much worse off. Also, I knew of a Marine that ended his life due to extreme pain after his nerves grew back.

Obviously, I’m extremely nervous about radio frequency ablation.

Advice? Thoughts?
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2 Comments
The "ablation" procedure discussed here is for cardiac issues, not issues with the spine.  I think there might be a "back" forum though that might be able to answer your question.
Thank you.
1423357 tn?1511085442
Yes, it sounds like it.  This happens sometimes.  The errant pathway that was causing your SVT is still there.  Your electrophysiologist merely set up a roadblock by creating a barrier of scar tissue.  Over time, the barrier can bridged with new, conductive tissue, and your SVT can return, perhaps a little different than before.  With three years since my ablation, I get these occasional, brief, feeble runs of SVT occasionally which last for a dozen beats or so then drop out to normal sinus rhythm.  I had my SVT from the age of 6, not getting it fixed until almost 60, so this is nothing like what I put up with.  I think of it's bothering you, and if your electrophysiologist recommends it, I'd go for it again.  You are way too young to put up with the nonsense I did!  You did it once, and you can do it again!  Keep us apprised of how you make out.
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Avatar universal
I had an ablation when I was fourteen, now I'm twenty two. I had WPW since I was born. Everything was fixed with the ablation. Since March of this year though, I've been getting these episodes like my heart is just pounding so hard but not as fast as before I had the ablation. It makes me exhausted and lasts very long. I don't remember them ever being like that before the ablation. I have a check up with the cardiologist next week. Does it sound like it's growing back?
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967168 tn?1477584489
I had an RF Ablation with burning done took about 4 hours.  I had a pacemaker/icd implant due to long sustained runs of Polymorphic VT during the procedure.  

I was told prior to my surgery that VT is very difficult to ablate but I can't remember why and my procedure was tricky because my problem was first in the lower thin part of the heart near the apex.
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1655526 tn?1330655629
I understand that there are 2 ways to do the ablations: radiofrequency or burning, or cyroalbation (???) ablation or freezing. From the research I've done, critics feel the burn creates more scar tissue than the freeze but the freeze is safer to use around the AV node. To all of the above, I was wondering which method your ep used. I'm scheduled for an ablation for AVNRT with possible WPW in June. My ep only does the burn which concerns me since one of the pathways is around the AV node and there is that slight possiblility that if the burn isn't exact, I could end up with a pacemaker which I do not want.

I'll have to admit that it is discouraging to see how many people have their arrythmias come back. I've had the tachycardias since I was in my 30's but have had the palps for as long as I remember so I was hoping that at 59 this would finally be gone. I'm tired of tip toeing around this, it really interfers with life.

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967168 tn?1477584489
I was told the same thing; they weren't sure if my pathways grew back or new ones occurred and the only way to tell was to do another ablation; which I would not have due to complications of the first one.

I had my first ablation in August 2009 with roughly 50,000 pvc's, by Dec 2009 I was back to 10,200 but I haven't had a new holter redone but my ICD interrogations do show holding steady about 10,000 daily.
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Avatar universal
Sorry to hear this. That stinks.
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386141 tn?1291396896
Hi

I to had AVNRT. I first underwent an ablation in 2006 and Dr reassured me they had zapped the trouble spots 5 in total and they could not induced the arrhythmia once this had been done.

For a year or so I kept getting random episodes of fast beats like it was returning that would make me sit up and cough! I went back to the cardio who was insistent the surgery had been a success and would not do anything without a recording of these rapids beats.

Fast forward to 2008 the day before my wedding and I ended up with full blown SVT. Lasted about 10 mins but I managed to keep calm and he stopped.

I went back to the cardio who still did not believe that this had happened even though my husband had witnessed this. I got very angry and insisted he completed another EP otherwise he would see me each week in his office until he did.

He was reluctant but gave in and up until the point I was wheeled down to surgery he still did not believe me.
Well I had the last word, as true to form as I knew it would he was able to induce the AVNRT straight away!

My parting word to the Cardio after he sheepishly admitted he was wrong not to believe me was to listen to his patience, especially those that have been living with this condition for sometime. We know our bodies and if you feel something is not right preserver.

I was not given an explanation of why this reared it's ugly head again but understand it pathways can grow back or new pathways can occur!

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1569985 tn?1328247482
What are vagal maneuvers?  And Tom, what is valsalva?  Will it help with Afib?  I am back in Afib and DO NOT want to be electro converted.

Sorry I have no info on the ablation.
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1423357 tn?1511085442
Hey Rich.  Like Jannie's EP, mine told me as well that ablated pathways can reconnect if not fully scared over.  Hope you can get it cleared up!
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Avatar universal
According to my EP, it is possible for the electrical pathways to regrow, but the percentage of cases where this happens is supposedly very small - less than 5 %.



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