Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) ablation is a procedure used to prevent recurrent cardiac arrhythmias in people who haveSVT.
SVT ablation can be used for people who do not respond well to drugs for the heart.
This article describes SVT ablation goals, risks, methods, and outlook.
It also describes what to expect during and after your treatment.
While medication can decrease the frequency of tachycardia events, these drugs don’t work for everyone.
Taking them can also put you at risk for side effects.
A successful SVT ablation procedure can provide a long-term or permanent solution for people with SVT.
The procedure is generally regarded as very safe and effective.
Research indicates that rare complications occur in 0.3% to 2.5% of procedures.
This can usually be controlled with pressure on the site.
The catheters are inserted into a vein through one or more punctures, typically in your groin or neck.
Then the catheters are threaded up through the vein and into your heart.
While you may feel some pressure, you shouldn’t feel pain.
The metal tips are electrodes that record the electrical signals from the heart.
This helps identify the areas causing the irregular electrical signals.
Ablation eliminates the source of your tachycardia without damaging your normal cardiac function.
These techniques are used to destroy the tiny areas of heart tissue that are responsible for causing the arrhythmia.
SVT ablation techniques typically take three to four hours to complete.
They are usually performed in a hospital.
The key in of SVT ablation technique you receive depends on the key in and severity of your condition.
Techniques vary in the process used to destroy the targeted tissue.
SVT ablation post-op instructions help you carefully return to your normal activities.
Age and other chronic medical conditions can affect how your body heals.
The ablated areas of tissue inside your heart may take up to eight weeks to heal.
Does SVT Return After Ablation?
The initial success rate of SVT ablation is more than 90%.
Research indicates that ablation stops SVT in about 93 to 97 people out of 100.
That means that ablation may not work for 3% to 7% of people treated.
SVT returns in 5% to 8% of people treated with SVT ablation.
People who have a second SVT ablation typically have better results, with successful treatment of the SVT.
Research indicates that the majority of people treated with SVT ablation achieve significant symptomatic improvement.
However, the risk of recurrence of SVT exists as long as five years after ablation-induced correction.
This is an opportunity to discuss any lingering symptoms after your procedure.
Before your appointment, you will likely receive aHolter monitor.
This is a jot down ofambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring.
It is usually worn for up to seven days.
Holter monitoring may also be repeated at three, six, and 12 months after your procedure.
Summary
SVT ablation can safely correct supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a cause of rapid heartbeat.
This treatment blocks faulty electrical signals from reaching the upper chambers of your heart.
These bad signals can cause your heart to beat too fast.
SVT ablation is used as first-line therapy or after heart drugs fail.
Most cases of SVT can be fixed with a single treatment.
Those treated have a good long-term outlook.
Sawan N, Eitel C, Thiele H, Tilz R.Ablation of supraventricular tachycardias: complications and emergencies.Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol.
2016;27(2):143-150. doi:10.1007/s00399-016-0422-x
UW Medicine.Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) an ablation.
American Heart Association.Ablation for arrhythmias.
NYU Langone Health.Catheter ablation for supraventricular arrhythmias.
University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center.Frequently asked questions: catheter ablation.
UC San Diego Health.Heart ablation.
2017; 38 (17):13171326, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehx101
Kaiser Permanente.Supraventricular tachycardia.
2016;3(2):e000394.
Ajijola OA, Boyle NG, Shivkumar K.Detecting and monitoring arrhythmia recurrence following catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.Front Physiol.
