An ablation procedure is a treatment for a heart condition called atrial fibrillation. This is an irregular heart rhythm, which starts in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart.
We can do an ablation procedure to treat areas of the heart involved in heart rhythm problems. If you have atrial fibrillation, we will target the atria with ablation treatment.
After the procedure
After your ablation procedure:
- you wake up from the general anaesthetic
- we take you to the recovery area, where a nurse monitors your pulse and blood pressure
- you have a cardiac (heart) monitor, which the nurse uses to check your heart rhythm
The nurse regularly checks your groin for any bleeding and swelling. They may put a pressure dressing at the top of your leg to reduce the risk of bleeding. For the same reason, you need to stay in bed for 3 to 6 hours before you can sit up, stand and then walk.
You are likely to have a plaster or dressing on your groin wounds when you wake up from the procedure.
The plaster or dressing on your groin wounds can be removed on the day after your procedure. It does not need to be replaced. You only need to replace the dressing if a wound starts to bleed.
When you have an ablation procedure, you do not usually need to stay in hospital overnight. You can leave hospital when your nurse is confident that you are fit enough. This means that you need to be able to:
- move around comfortably (mobilise)
- pee without problems
- eat and drink
Before you leave hospital, we explain any changes that you need to make to your medicines.
After you leave hospital
Most people recover quickly from an ablation procedure and feel well enough to continue their usual activities the next day. Here are some practical tips to help you while you recover:
Discomfort in the chest, neck and shoulder
You may have some discomfort in the chest, neck and shoulder. This may:
- feel sharp or stabbing
- be worse when you lie down or take a deep breath
- improve when you sit forward
Pain medicines that you buy in a pharmacy or shop can help you to manage these symptoms. The discomfort usually settles in the first week after the procedure.
The blanking period
You may have episodes of atrial fibrillation or irregularities in your heart rhythm during the first 3 months after your ablation. This is often called the blanking period.
The symptoms are usually caused by inflammation after the procedure. They are likely to settle with time. Getting these symptoms within the first 3 months does not mean that the procedure has been unsuccessful.
Episodes of atrial fibrillation can last for minutes, hours or days.
Follow-up appointments
You are likely to have a follow-up clinic appointment about 3 months after your ablation. Before this appointment, we may give you a heart rhythm monitor and ask you to wear it for 24 hours or longer.
Your follow-up appointment may be held:
- by video
- by phone
- in person with a health professional
There can sometimes be a delay in arranging your appointment. Please tell your health professional if you have access to an approved personal ECG device, such as the AliveCor KardiaMobile™.
You do not have to contact us to arrange your follow-up appointment. We have a patient app called MyChart, which you can use on your mobile, tablet or computer.
If you have signed up to use MyChart, you will get a notification of your appointment within the MyChart portal. This includes the date, time and place of the appointment.
If you have not signed up to use MyChart, you will get either:
- a text message notification of your follow-up appointment, or
- an appointment letter
This depends on the communication preferences that we have recorded for you.
At your follow-up appointment, we:
- review your symptoms
- explain whether your medicines can be reduced or stopped
Keeping to a healthy lifestyle
Various aspects of a person's lifestyle can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. They include:
- being overweight (obesity)
- having a low fitness level
- following an unhealthy diet
- smoking
- drinking alcohol
If you try to have a healthy lifestyle before and after your ablation, this will reduce the risk of repeated atrial fibrillation episodes. A healthy lifestyle means:
- keeping to a healthy weight for your height (this is called your body mass index)
- doing regular exercise
- following a healthy, balanced diet
- stopping smoking
- avoiding alcohol or only drinking a limited (moderate) amount
There are many NHS resources available to help you keep to a healthy lifestyle. Please speak to your health professional if you would like more information or support.
MyChart
Our preferred method for contacting you is through the MyChart electronic patient portal. Within this portal, we can send you requests to:
- complete questionnaires about your symptoms
- get a heart rhythm reading by having an ECG or using one of the accepted mobile devices that can produce an ECG
Support and more information
You can find more information about atrial fibrillation and ablation on the following websites:
- NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk/conditions/atrial-fibrillation
- Afib Matters: www.afibmatters.org
- British Heart Foundation: www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/treatments/ablation
