What is radiofrequency ablation?
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Sorry, Aaron - I should have clarified the term. RF stands for "radiofrequency" which is a fancy word that refers to the energy (similar to microwaves) produced by the catheters we use for ablation.
Ablation is a NONSURGICAL procedure used to treat various conditions including WPW. The electrophysiologist (a cardiologist specially trained in the management of heart rhythm issues) will usually do this procedure. What happens is the doctor will put some large IVs in one or both groins (right at the crease where your legs join your body). These special IVs have one-way valves so that we can use them to access your blood vessels without allowing you to lose blood. Once these IVs (or sheaths) are in place, a physician guides some catheters with an electrode at the tip up the veins and into the chambers of the heart. The catheters are observed by fluoroscopy, which is a "real-time" x-ray image.
Once the doctor finds the exact site inside the heart where your accessory pathway is, radiofrequency energy (again, similar to microwave heat) is transmitted to the area. This turns muscle tissue to scar in a very small area (about 1/5 of an inch) and prevents it from conducting any more electrical impulses, thereby preventing a "short circuit" from occurring.
There are actually several ways to perform ablation nowadays, so not everyone uses radiofrequency. Many places, for example, are now using "cryoablation" in which the heart muscle is turned to scar using cold, created by a coolant which flows through the catheter. This is similar to what a doctor does when he freezes off a wart.
Radiofrequency ablation has clinical uses other than for heart rhythm issues as well. This is probably why the first answerer talks about cancer cells. In your case, however, it has nothing to do with cancer. Hope that makes it a little more clear for you!
basically RFA uses heat to kill cancer cells. Radiofrequency is a form of electrical energy. Ablation means destroying completely. The electrical energy heats up the tumour and kills the cancer cells. You have RFA through a probe that goes through your skin into the tumour.
RFA is quite a new treatment and at the moment only a few specialist centres can offer it. Doctors are still finding out more about
Which cancers to treat
How well it works
What the side effects are
in WPW u have an extra pathway that causes the electricity in ur heart go faster than normal (kind a sort cut) and this is causing the problem
in RF simply we burn that pathway so only the normal slow electric pathway works to have good heart contractility
for wpw they will pass the probe into the heart muscle and ablate the cells that control the abnormal rhythm. Once they are gone, your rhythm should be taken over by normal pacer cells, and restore your rhythm.
good luck
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