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Children's Heart Center at URMC

Golisano Children's Hospital / Children's Heart Center / Tests & Procedures / Catheter Ablation

 

Catheter Ablation

Catheter ablation is a minimally-invasive procedure that can be used to cure abnormal fast heart rhythms such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). The procedure starts with an EP study. Once the cause of the fast heart rhythm is confirmed, the exact location of the malfunctioning part of the heart is located using special 3D mapping software and then “zapped” using heat energy (radiofrequency ablation, or RFA) or cold energy (cryoablation). After an ablation, patients usually spend one night in the hospital.

3D map shows the abnormal electricity spreading

  3D map shows the abnormal electricity
  spreading through the heart.
  View larger image of 3D map.

The abnormal heart rhythm converts back to a normal slow heart rhythm during ablation.

  The abnormal heart rhythm converts back to a
  normal slow heart rhythm during ablation.
  View larger image of heart rhythm.