Cardiac Ablation

Overview

In cardiac ablation, doctors insert thin, flexible tubes (catheters) with electrodes on the tips into a blood vessel in your arm, groin or neck and thread them through your blood vessels to reach your heart. Doctors then apply heat (radiofrequency energy), a laser or extreme cold (cryoablation) through the catheters to destroy (ablate) abnormal heart tissue causing your heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia).

Doctors perform cardiac ablation to treat many heart rhythm disorders, including:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Atrial flutter
• Tachycardia
• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• Ventricular tachycardia

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Expertise and experience. Mayo Clinic doctors have expertise and experience in treating heart rhythm disorders using cardiac ablation and other treatments. Doctors have treated thousands of people who have heart rhythm disorders.
• Team approach. Mayo Clinic doctors trained in heart conditions (cardiologists), cardiologists trained in heart rhythm disorders (electrophysiologists) and other doctors work closely to treat people who have heart rhythm disorders.
• Technology. Mayo Clinic doctors conduct cardiac ablation using advanced technology in the electrophysiology laboratories.
• Research. Mayo Clinic doctors study new and improved techniques for cardiac ablation and conduct clinical trials.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

Read more about cardiac ablation at MayoClinic.com.

Related book: Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life! book provides an easy-to-follow plan to prevent and conquer heart disease.