Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Ablation

Atrial fibrillation ablation is an invasive procedure that helps maintain a normal heart rhythm.

Overview

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Why you might need?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can cause some unpleasant symptoms like shortness of breath and heart palpitations. It also greatly increases the risk of stroke and anticoagulation medicines pose their own risks.

Ablation controls the symptoms of atrial fibrillation, but usually does not eliminate the needs for medication for stroke prevention.

If you have atrial fibrillation that has lasted for 7 days or less, ablation may be more likely to work long-term. It may not work as well long-term if you’ve had more persistent atrial fibrillation. Your Cardiologist will decide if you need AF Ablation.

Treatment Info

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a chaotic heart rhythm.
Atrial fibrillation ablation helps maintain a normal heart rhythm. Ablation uses small burns or freezes to cause some scarring on the inside of the heart that helps to break up electrical signals that cause an irregular heart rhythm. This can return your heart to normal sinus rhythm (SR).

 

What happens during Atrial Fibrillation Ablation?

You will usually have a general anaesthetic. At OneWelbeck we can offer three different types of ablation, and your cardiologist will advise on which method is best-suited to your individual needs.

  1. Cryoablation: your Cardiologist will put catheters into a blood vessel in the groin and thread it up to the heart giving them access to the collecting chambers (Atria) inside your heart. The catheter is then used to scar a small area of the heart by making small freezes.
  2. Radio frequency ablation: energy will be used to make small burns inside the heart that scars and shrinks damaged tissue. The scarring helps prevent the heart from conducting the abnormal electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation.
  3. Pulsed field ablation: we are proud to be the first private facility in the UK to offer the FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System from Boston Scientific to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. The tissue-selective FARAPULSE™ PFA System has emerged as a promising energy source for cardiac ablation, specifically pulmonary vein isolation to treat paroxysmal AF. Leading with safety, the FARAPULSE™ PFA System makes durable cardiac lesions in seconds while sparing non-target tissue. 

You will usually be sent home the same day.

Treatment Risks

Most who undergo atrial fibrillation ablation have a successful outcome, although there are risks including:

  • In the groin – bleeding, infection or pain from the catheter insertion
  • Damage to the blood vessels from the catheter
  • Puncture to the heart
  • Damage to the heart
  • Blood clots
  • Narrowing of the pulmonary veins
  • Radiation exposure

You can discuss any concerns you may have with your OneWelbeck Consultant Cardiologist.

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Treatment Programme
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Ablation

Introduction

Treatment

General anaesthetic and a procedure to prevent a...

Risks

Bleeding, infection, damage to blood vessels

Aftercare

You can shower the next day, but should not have...

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Health Insurance

This service or treatment is generally covered by most health insurance policies. You are responsible for checking your insurance policy cover, and you may need a referral letter. Check which insurance companies are covered.

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Self-Pay Available

This treatment is available for self-paying users. If you would like to see more information on pricing visit our pricing and payments page.

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Consultation Required

For this treatment you will need to have a 1-to-1 consultation at OneWelbeck first. To book in with our team of expert clinicians or to find out more about the process contact the relevant centre team.

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Fixed Price Package

For peace of mind, this service or treatment is available for an all-inclusive fixed price package.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Ablation Specialists

The consultants at OneWelbeck Heart Health have been assembled based on their hard-earned international reputations and expertise. Together, they cover the major London teaching hospitals and leading cardiac services, making up the largest independent cardiology group in the UK.

Earliest availability 25 Nov
Bookings are avaliable

Professor Nicholas Peters

Consultant Cardiologist

Specialist expertise: Heart Rhythm Disturbances including Atrial Fibrillation, Pacing and Syncope, Heart Rhythm Disorders, Cardiology, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Cardiac Device Implantation, Arrhythmias.

Earliest availability 28 Nov
Bookings are avaliable

Dr Mark Earley

Consultant Cardiologist

Specialist expertise: Electrophysiology, Heart Rhythm Disorders, Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Disturbances including Atrial Fibrillation, Pacing and Syncope, Interventional Cardiology, Heart Health.

Earliest availability 28 Nov
Bookings are avaliable

Dr Aaisha Opel

Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist

Specialist expertise: Cardiac Electrophysiology, Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Heart Rhythm Disturbances including Atrial Fibrillation, Pacing and Syncope, Breathlessness, Long COVID, Palpitations, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Dizziness, Chest Pain, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Disorders, Pacemakers, Syncope, Arrhythmias.

Earliest availability 02 Dec
Bookings are avaliable

Dr Malcolm Finlay

Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist

Specialist expertise: Cardiology, Electrophysiology, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Pacemakers, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Catheter Ablation, ICDs, Heart Health, Supraventricular tachycardia, Flutter, WPW, Pulsed Field Ablation, Palpitations, AF, Dizzy Spells, Ablation.

Earliest availability 24 Dec
Bookings are avaliable

Professor Richard Schilling

Consultant Cardiologist

Specialist expertise: Catheter-based treatment of Congenital Heart Disease (including ASD and PFO closures), Heart Rhythm Disturbances including Atrial Fibrillation, Pacing and Syncope, Cardiac Imaging, Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Pacemakers, Heart Health, Arrhythmias, Transoesophageal Echocardiography.

Dr Boon Lim

Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist

Specialist expertise: Heart Rhythm Disturbances including Atrial Fibrillation, Pacing and Syncope, Cardiology, Management of heart failure and advanced non-invasive cardiac imaging, Interventional Cardiology, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Heart Rhythm Disorders, Cholesterol Disorders, Arrhythmias, Vasovagal Syncope, Syncope, Complex Devices.

Dr Simon Sporton

Consultant Cardiologist

Specialist expertise: Heart Rhythm Disturbances including Atrial Fibrillation, Pacing and Syncope, Heart Rhythm Disorders, Cardiology, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Heart Health, Pacemakers, Arrhythmias, Complex Devices.

Dr Daniel Keene

Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist

Specialist expertise: Cardiology, Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Heart Rhythm Disorders, Cardiac Device Implantation.

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