Have you ever felt your heart pounding and racing for no apparent reason when you were at a loss? It's normal to feel a little scared and anxious at times like these. One of the reasons for this rapid heart rate is SVT, which stands for Supraventricular Tachycardia. So today we're going to talk about a very successful treatment for this. That's SVT Ablation.
Simply put, what is SVT and Ablation?
Let's first see what SVT is. Our heart is an amazing organ. It has a system of electrical signals for its functioning. Just like a wiring system in a house. When these electrical signals travel correctly and in an orderly manner, our heart beats in a proper rhythm.
But in some people, a small "short circuit" can occur in the electrical signaling system in the upper chambers of the heart. Think of it like a wire loop. Then the electrical signals that should be going in order get messed up because of this short circuit, and the heart suddenly starts beating very fast. This is what we call SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia) .
Now let's look at what Ablation is. This is a treatment that "disables" the faulty cells that are creating that short circuit. Doctors use special catheters, very thin tubes, to go deep into the heart and find exactly where the faulty electrical signals are coming from. Then, they do a small amount of damage to just that spot.
- Radiofrequency energy: In this method, the cells are heated and a small scar is created.
- Cryoablation: In this method, extreme cold (nitric oxide) is used to freeze the cells, creating a scar.
When a scar is created in this way, the faulty electrical signal cannot pass through. That means the short circuit is broken. Then the heart starts beating in a normal rhythm again.
Doctors usually resort to this treatment if the condition cannot be controlled with medication, or if the medication causes side effects. However, sometimes it is recommended as a first option.
What happens before and during treatment?
After deciding on a day to have this treatment, the doctor will give you some special instructions.
- You will be asked to not eat or drink anything for 6 to 8 hours before the treatment (fasting) .
- You may also be asked to temporarily stop taking some of the medications you are taking. You should discuss all of this with your doctor to be sure.
The treatment is performed in a specially equipped electrophysiology lab . Let's take a step-by-step look at what happens there:
1. First, you will be given medication through a vein (IV) to help you relax and not feel any pain. Most of the time, you will be given what is called conscious sedation . This means that you will not be completely asleep, but you will be relaxed and slightly drowsy.
2. Then, the skin in your groin area is numbed (local anesthetic), and a thin catheter is inserted into a blood vessel. You won't feel much pain because of the numbing.
3. This catheter is guided along the blood vessel all the way to the heart.
4. Then, electrical signals are sent through this catheter to find the exact location of the cells that are causing the problem.
5. Once the location is correct, the radiofrequency energy we talked about earlier is applied to deactivate those cells. You will not feel any pain at this time.
What happens after treatment? And what do you do when you go home?
After the treatment is over, the catheter site will be clamped for a while to stop the bleeding. Sometimes a special device (vascular closure device) will be used. After that, you will be instructed to keep your leg extended for about 6 to 8 hours.
After you go home, you can start doing normal activities the next day . However, it is very important to avoid strenuous activities such as running, jumping, or lifting weights for about three days.
What are the benefits and risks of this treatment?
The biggest advantage of this is that the success rate is very high . For most types of SVT, this treatment is 90% - 95% successful . This means that if you do this to ten people, nine will be completely cured. However, a very small number (2% - 11%) may have the condition recur.
As with any medical treatment, there are very small risks. Let's find out what they are.
| Risk/side effects | Simple explanation |
|---|---|
| Bleeding or infection | A condition that can occur at the catheter insertion site. This is very rare. |
| Hematoma | Blood collecting under the skin where the catheter was inserted. |
| Blood clots | There is a very small risk of blood clots forming in the blood vessels. |
| Cardiac Tamponade | A cavity around the heart that fills with blood or fluid. This is a very rare emergency. |
| The need for a pacemaker | Very rarely, if the heart's normal electrical system is damaged, a pacemaker may need to be implanted to control the heart's function. |
The most important thing: You should remember that most of these risks are very rare , and that the doctors who treat you will be very careful about this.
When should you seek immediate medical advice?
We also need to know what to do if a problem arises after we get home.
| Emergency! Go to the hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately. | |
|---|---|
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| If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor. | |
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It can be a little scary to know that you have a heart rhythm problem. But you will feel a great sense of relief when you know that there are very effective treatments for it. SVT Ablation is one such very effective treatment. If you have any further questions about this, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor and get everything explained.
Take-Home Message
- SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia) is a condition in which the heart beats rapidly due to a "short circuit"-like defect in the heart's electrical system.
- SVT Ablation is a highly successful treatment method that uses special catheters to enter the heart and inactivate the defective cells by heating or freezing them, restoring the heart's rhythm.
- The success rate of this treatment is as high as 90% - 95% .
- Recovery is quick after treatment, and you can return to normal life within a few days.
- If the wound becomes excessively swollen or bleeds continuously, you should go to the hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately. If you experience any other unusual symptoms, inform your doctor.
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