Ablation for flutter?

[Guest guest]

I have been experiencing both Afib as well as flutter on a periodic basis. I

had a conversation today with a Physician who said there is significant

difference between ablation for flutter versus afib.

Ablation for flutter is brief, requires only local anesthesia, has a 90% success

rate and a less than 1% chance of a complication.

Ablation for Afib is much more complicated, requires general anesthesia, has a

70% success rate, also a higher chance of adverse outcome.

Anyone have the ablation for flutter? What was your experience?

[Guest guest]

Steve, I agree with your doctor's opinion regarding flutter ablation: it is

short and simple. I do not however agree with some of the statements about Afib

ablation!

Afib ablation is more technically challenging but performed by an experienced

doctor, the success rate exceeds 80% and adverse outcomes are low. The two

procedures are done at the same time and they usually take 3-4 hours. The

flutter part takes around one hour and the fib 2-3 hours.

Steve114@... wrote:

I have been experiencing both Afib as well as flutter on a periodic basis. I

had a conversation today with a Physician who said there is significant

difference between ablation for flutter versus afib.

Ablation for flutter is brief, requires only local anesthesia, has a 90% success

rate and a less than 1% chance of a complication.

Ablation for Afib is much more complicated, requires general anesthesia, has a

70% success rate, also a higher chance of adverse outcome.

Anyone have the ablation for flutter? What was your experience?

[Guest guest]

> I have been experiencing both Afib as well as flutter on a periodic basis. I

had a conversation today with a Physician who said there is significant

difference between ablation for flutter versus afib.

>

> Ablation for flutter is brief, requires only local anesthesia, has a 90%

success rate and a less than 1% chance of a complication.

>

> Ablation for Afib is much more complicated, requires general anesthesia, has a

70% success rate, also a higher chance of adverse outcome.

>

> Anyone have the ablation for flutter? What was your experience?

>

Hi Steve,

I had a flutter ablation at the end of my PVI, as far as my involvement

was concerned the experience was identical to the PVI (it's the

experience of the chap holding the catheters which is far more

important). It turns out that post procedure I experienced what they

believe to be 'left sided flutter' - flutter that was produced by the

ablation scars from the PVI though I haven't had flutter for a couple

of months so I'm hoping it was just part of the healing process.

Although my AF frequency has improved I'm still having it so am going

back for a second ablation next year - repeat rates for PVI ablations

are quite high, 20-30% have two or more procedures.

Afib ablation does NOT require general anaesthesia. (Some people have

reported that they were 'out' for the duration but there are many,

including myself, that stay awake throughout the procedure) The reasons

flutter ablation is simpler and safer is that it's usually done in the

right side of the heart (no transseptal puncture, lower stroke risk, not

as complicated to position the catheters, not as close to the

oesophagus....) I think the question you need to ask is whether your

atrial flutter is causing your AF and how symptomatic your flutter/fib

is. Would just fixing the flutter have a significant improvement in your

quality of life? If you need to fix both to feel better then don't you

need a solution that fixes both? Some (but I don't think many) have a

flutter ablation and it's stops their AF, others can get rid of the

flutter but still have AF. If you find an experienced EP who has good

success rates with AF ablations then he would likely do a flutter

ablation at the end of the AF ablation if you suffer from both. (adds

about 20-30 minutes to the procedure)

--

D