A procedure in which a catheter (a soft, thin, flexible tube with an electrode at the end) is inserted through a vein or artery in the groin or neck and moved into the heart. Through the electrode, RF, laser, Cryo (freezing) or ultrasound energy is applied to eliminate or physically destroy specific heart tissue.
catheter ablation, also known as radiofrequency (RF) ablation: a two-step procedure used to treat rhythm problems in the top or bottom parts of the heart. First, the area in the heart that causes the abnormal heart rhythm is located with the aid of a catheter. Next, the tissue in this area is "burned," thus interrupting the pathway that conducts the impulses that cause the abnormal rhythm.
In this procedure, one or more flexible, thin tubes (catheters) are guided via x-ray into the blood vessels and directed to the heart muscle. A burst of radiofrequency (or other) energy destroys very small areas of tissue that give rise to abnormal electrical signals.
A technique performed with a catheter (a long, thin tube or wire) in which abnormal heart tissue is cauterized in an attempt to cure arrhythmias caused by the abnormality.
An invasive procedure used to treat rapid heart beats, especially in Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. In WPW syndrome, an abnormal conduction pathway between the atria and the ventricles causes electrical impulses to pass rapidly to the ventricles, creating rapid cardiac arrhythmias. A physician guides a catheter with an electrode at its tip to the area of heart muscle where there is abnormal electrical activity. The cardiovascular specialist delivers a painless radiofrequency impulse that eliminates a tiny area of muscle cells, abolishing the "short circuit" that was causing the rapid heartbeats. Catheter ablation can be used to treat other types of arrhythmias as well. Catheter ablation is also called radiofrequency ablation.
Catheter ablation is an invasive procedure used to remove a faulty electrical pathway from the hearts of those who are prone to developing cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardias (SVT) and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
