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left ventricular ablation next to the aorta
Recently my father was having a lot of PVC's...they ran a multitude of tests and recommended he get an ablation...well, in all the tests and mappings of the heart, they (as in a couple different doctors) said it was on the right side....he had his procedure a couple days ago, they couldnt find anything on his right side, so they went into his left ventrical...found it, but could not ablate because he did not have the proper equipment as it was too close to his aorta and it was too risky. I read a couple posts on here about people having an ablation on the left side, but how dangerous is the left versus the right?? Where would you recommend he go to have the procedure done? He was on Toporol, but they have taken him off that and trying another medication to help with the PVCs, I hope that works, as I think poking around the heart 3-4 times since Feb as been too much. Which I guess brings me to another question, is it bad for your heart to constantly be in there with some sort of procedure? Your input would be much appreciated, thank you.
We were sent down to see Warton, waited 5 days for him to pop his head in, but he never showed...the other doctors said he was reviewing the case and they were not helpful. We were not seeing many doctors on purpose, one recommended the other and so forth...we wanted a 2nd opinion to get answers and as nice as he was, he does not have the proper equipment to get in to the aorta cusp so he is recommeding we go somewhere where they have the proper equipment....that is why i was looking for some place else that had a strong reputation. thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It can get confusing when you see many doctors. It all comes down to:
Is the rhythm dangerous,
If no, then does it cause life impairing symptoms
If no, treat with medications
if yes, can it be fixed
If yes, discuss risks/benefits/alternatives to ablation versus medications.
If you decide on ablation and have had many attempted abations, you want to go to a very experienced center for their opinion. If you live in Columbia, SC, consider Marcus Warton at MUSC in Charleston.
http://www.muschealth.com/findadoc/?Action=DoctorInfo&Doctor_ID=2067
I have not met him but he has a very good reputation. If he does not do that procedure, he can refer you to someone in his institution that does if he thinks it can be fixed.
Is the rhythm dangerous,
If no, then does it cause life impairing symptoms
If no, treat with medications
if yes, can it be fixed
If yes, discuss risks/benefits/alternatives to ablation versus medications.
If you decide on ablation and have had many attempted abations, you want to go to a very experienced center for their opinion. If you live in Columbia, SC, consider Marcus Warton at MUSC in Charleston.
http://www.muschealth.com/findadoc/?Action=DoctorInfo&Doctor_ID=2067
I have not met him but he has a very good reputation. If he does not do that procedure, he can refer you to someone in his institution that does if he thinks it can be fixed.
left ventricular ablation next to the aorta
by shell5152
Recently my father was having a lot of PVC's...they ran a multitude of tests and recommended he get an ablation...well, in all the tests and mappings of the heart, they (as in a couple different doctors) said it was on the right side....he had his procedure a couple days ago, they couldnt find anything on his right side, so they went into his left ventrical...found it, but could not ablate because he did not have the proper equipment as it was too close to his aorta and it was too risky. I read a couple posts on here about people having an ablation on the left side, but how dangerous is the left versus the right?? Where would you recommend he go to have the procedure done? He was on Toporol, but they have taken him off that and trying another medication to help with the PVCs, I hope that works, as I think poking around the heart 3-4 times since Feb as been too much. Which I guess brings me to another question, is it bad for your heart to constantly be in there with some sort of procedure? Your input would be much appreciated, thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.
PVCs originating from the out flow tract can safely be ablated. 90% of the time it is from the right side but it can be from the left side in the left ventricular outflow tract or aortic cusp. It is a more difficult procedure because it involves the arterial circulation and it has more risks like stroke or damage to the coronary arteries. In experienced hands these risks are very low (less than 1%) but are never zero risk.
where to have it done depends on where you live. Your own doctor may be fine to do the procedure, bit it is a matter of knowing what you are looking for.
3-4 procedures since Feb sounds like a lot. Where do you live?
To: Michael J. McWilliams, M.D
They live in Columbia, SC. It all started with an electrocardiologist in Columbia that saw his irregular EKG, wanted to do a test where they try to bring on the PVCs, she brought on Vtech and made his heart stop, she immediately told us he had ARVD and he is lucky to be alive, we were rushed to MUSC in Charleston where they ran tests and they were going to possibly put in a defiblrator. After being in Charleston for 5 days, they ran the same procedure she did, did not find anything, they did an electrical mapping of his heart and a multitude of other tests, they did not bring on Vtech and did not think he had ARVD, but they didnt want to say it, they were beating around the bush saying he has a sensitive electrical system. They suggested we go to John Hopkins. We sent all his paperwork up there, in the meantime, we got a 2nd opinion in Columbia thru a friends recommendation, he was extremely nice and said by looking at his paperwork, he does not have ARVD. Tried to treat with medicine ,but also said he could do an ablation and he wouldnt have to take the medicine. That procedure was the other day and that is when he discovered it was on the left hand side (he immediately told us he went to the right because all the results and paperwork he received said it was on the right)...but found it on the left, said it was very rare, he has only seen 3 cases like this in his career and said they will try another medicine, but he could go to Virgina to have it done as they have the right equipment to that procedure and he does not have it in Columbia. Back to the paperwork we sent to John Hopkins, they called back saying he does not have ARVD, and basically said what we were doing with medicince and trying for an ablation was good, but that was it from their end. To us, this seems all very complicated and there has been a lot of this is what it is and then something changes, so I am nervous for him to have another invasive procedure....based on all the "diagnosis" he has been getting. Sorry for the longwinded response, but maybe that will shed some background into the case a bit more....thanks again for your help.
by shell5152
Recently my father was having a lot of PVC's...they ran a multitude of tests and recommended he get an ablation...well, in all the tests and mappings of the heart, they (as in a couple different doctors) said it was on the right side....he had his procedure a couple days ago, they couldnt find anything on his right side, so they went into his left ventrical...found it, but could not ablate because he did not have the proper equipment as it was too close to his aorta and it was too risky. I read a couple posts on here about people having an ablation on the left side, but how dangerous is the left versus the right?? Where would you recommend he go to have the procedure done? He was on Toporol, but they have taken him off that and trying another medication to help with the PVCs, I hope that works, as I think poking around the heart 3-4 times since Feb as been too much. Which I guess brings me to another question, is it bad for your heart to constantly be in there with some sort of procedure? Your input would be much appreciated, thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.
PVCs originating from the out flow tract can safely be ablated. 90% of the time it is from the right side but it can be from the left side in the left ventricular outflow tract or aortic cusp. It is a more difficult procedure because it involves the arterial circulation and it has more risks like stroke or damage to the coronary arteries. In experienced hands these risks are very low (less than 1%) but are never zero risk.
where to have it done depends on where you live. Your own doctor may be fine to do the procedure, bit it is a matter of knowing what you are looking for.
3-4 procedures since Feb sounds like a lot. Where do you live?
To: Michael J. McWilliams, M.D
They live in Columbia, SC. It all started with an electrocardiologist in Columbia that saw his irregular EKG, wanted to do a test where they try to bring on the PVCs, she brought on Vtech and made his heart stop, she immediately told us he had ARVD and he is lucky to be alive, we were rushed to MUSC in Charleston where they ran tests and they were going to possibly put in a defiblrator. After being in Charleston for 5 days, they ran the same procedure she did, did not find anything, they did an electrical mapping of his heart and a multitude of other tests, they did not bring on Vtech and did not think he had ARVD, but they didnt want to say it, they were beating around the bush saying he has a sensitive electrical system. They suggested we go to John Hopkins. We sent all his paperwork up there, in the meantime, we got a 2nd opinion in Columbia thru a friends recommendation, he was extremely nice and said by looking at his paperwork, he does not have ARVD. Tried to treat with medicine ,but also said he could do an ablation and he wouldnt have to take the medicine. That procedure was the other day and that is when he discovered it was on the left hand side (he immediately told us he went to the right because all the results and paperwork he received said it was on the right)...but found it on the left, said it was very rare, he has only seen 3 cases like this in his career and said they will try another medicine, but he could go to Virgina to have it done as they have the right equipment to that procedure and he does not have it in Columbia. Back to the paperwork we sent to John Hopkins, they called back saying he does not have ARVD, and basically said what we were doing with medicince and trying for an ablation was good, but that was it from their end. To us, this seems all very complicated and there has been a lot of this is what it is and then something changes, so I am nervous for him to have another invasive procedure....based on all the "diagnosis" he has been getting. Sorry for the longwinded response, but maybe that will shed some background into the case a bit more....thanks again for your help.
They live in Columbia, SC. It all started with an electrocardiologist in Columbia that saw his irregular EKG, wanted to do a test where they try to bring on the PVCs, she brought on Vtech and made his heart stop, she immediately told us he had ARVD and he is lucky to be alive, we were rushed to MUSC in Charleston where they ran tests and they were going to possibly put in a defiblrator. After being in Charleston for 5 days, they ran the same procedure she did, did not find anything, they did an electrical mapping of his heart and a multitude of other tests, they did not bring on Vtech and did not think he had ARVD, but they didnt want to say it, they were beating around the bush saying he has a sensitive electrical system. They suggested we go to John Hopkins. We sent all his paperwork up there, in the meantime, we got a 2nd opinion in Columbia thru a friends recommendation, he was extremely nice and said by looking at his paperwork, he does not have ARVD. Tried to treat with medicine ,but also said he could do an ablation and he wouldnt have to take the medicine. That procedure was the other day and that is when he discovered it was on the left hand side (he immediately told us he went to the right because all the results and paperwork he received said it was on the right)...but found it on the left, said it was very rare, he has only seen 3 cases like this in his career and said they will try another medicine, but he could go to Virgina to have it done as they have the right equipment to that procedure and he does not have it in Columbia. Back to the paperwork we sent to John Hopkins, they called back saying he does not have ARVD, and basically said what we were doing with medicince and trying for an ablation was good, but that was it from their end. To us, this seems all very complicated and there has been a lot of this is what it is and then something changes, so I am nervous for him to have another invasive procedure....based on all the "diagnosis" he has been getting. Sorry for the longwinded response, but maybe that will shed some background into the case a bit more....thanks again for your help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
PVCs originating from the out flow tract can safely be ablated. 90% of the time it is from the right side but it can be from the left side in the left ventricular outflow tract or aortic cusp. It is a more difficult procedure because it involves the arterial circulation and it has more risks like stroke or damage to the coronary arteries. In experienced hands these risks are very low (less than 1%) but are never zero risk.
where to have it done depends on where you live. Your own doctor may be fine to do the procedure, bit it is a matter of knowing what you are looking for.
3-4 procedures since Feb sounds like a lot. Where do you live?
where to have it done depends on where you live. Your own doctor may be fine to do the procedure, bit it is a matter of knowing what you are looking for.
3-4 procedures since Feb sounds like a lot. Where do you live?
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