How is a convergent procedure done?
During the convergent procedure, your cardiothoracic surgeon will make a small incision in your abdomen. Your surgeon will guide a scope through the incision to your heart and use extreme heat or cold to strategically destroy (ablate) abnormal tissue on the outside of the heart.
What is a convergent ablation procedure?
Convergent Ablation The convergent procedure is a form of hybrid AF ablation that utilises a pericardioscopic approach from the upper abdomen. As such, the convergent approach distinguishes itself as a compliment to catheter ablation rather than a complex surgical procedure.
How long does a convergent procedure take?
With a same-day procedure, the patient requires one hospitalization and one time under anesthesia; however, the procedure is longer (typically 5-6 hours). With a staged approach, the epicardial lesions have time to heal and scar, which may limit the need for extensive ablation after endocardial mapping.
How long does a convergent ablation take?
In the Convergent arm, the mean ablation time was 42.9 ± 13.7 minutes for the epicardial portion and 135.8 ± 49.9 minutes for the endocardial portion of the procedure. In the catheter ablation arm, mean ablation time was 171.4 ± 59.7 minutes.
What is the difference between ablation and Maze procedure?
Catheter/Cardiac Ablation. One of the easiest ways to understand the difference between the two procedures is that catheter/cardiac ablation destroys the tissue that causes the arrhythmia. Maze surgery, on the other hand, redirects the inconsistent electrical impulses (via scar tissue) to correct the arrhythmia.
What is a hybrid Convergent ablation?
Hybrid Convergent ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) combines minimally invasive surgical (epicardial) and catheter (endocardial) ablation. The procedural goal is to achieve more extensive, enduring ablation of AF substrate around the pulmonary veins, posterior wall, and vestibule of the posterior wall left atrium.
How long is heart ablation recovery?
The ablated (or destroyed) areas of tissue inside your heart may take up to eight weeks to heal. You may still have arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) during the first few weeks after your ablation. During this time, you may need anti-arrhythmic medications or other treatment.
What happens if ablation fails?
Patients after initial failed surgical AF ablation show worsening of cardiac function, clinical status and quality of life at follow-up compared to patients with successful AF ablation.
What circumstances warrants a maze ablation?
Your health care provider might recommend the maze procedure if you have atrial fibrillation (A-fib) that doesn’t improve with medications or other procedures, or if A-fib returns after treatment.