Cardiac Ablation
Ablation is a process used to treat abnormal heart rhythms. This abnormal rhythm is referred to as arrhythmia. Arrhythmias can be treated either surgically or non-surgically, depending on the type of arrhythmia.
Nonsurgical Ablation
Nonsurgical ablations are performed in an electrophysiology lab using a catheter. The catheter is inserted into a particular portion of the heart. Then energy is directed through the catheter to disconnect the electrical pathways that are causing the arrhythmia.
Surgical Ablation
Depending on the type of arrhythmia, surgical ablation may be performed in either a traditional “open” procedure or a minimally invasive procedure.
The Maze procedure is a tradition open-heart surgical procedure in which the surgeon makes small cuts in the heart. These cuts interrupt the impulses that are causing the abnormal heart rhythms. Scar tissue is then formed as the heart heals and this scar tissue blocks the impulses from reaching the heart.
Minimally invasive ablation is similar to the Maze procedure but the procedure is performed through small incisions using endoscopic techniques. Endoscopic surgery uses small mechanical arms controlled by the surgeon. These arms have a camera and instruments attached.
