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The TriHealth Heart & Vascular Institute is a leader in treating heart arrhythmias, also known as irregular heartbeats. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation provides an alternative to a lifetime of medications, expenses and other associated side effects for patients with a-fib.
As a leader in heart care, we were the first hospital in Cincinnati to perform a-fib ablations and since 2004 have performed more than 200 procedures – more than any other program in the region.
Catheter ablation, also known as pulmonary vein isolation or left atrial compartmentalization is the latest treatment for for atrial fibrillation, and provides a variety of benefits, including:
During this procedure, the physician uses a catheter to deliver radiofrequency energy to the heart, which causes scarring that eliminates the arrhythmia. Advanced mapping systems allow the physician to literally see inside the heart in real-time and in 3D as they perform the procedure.
TriHealth’s Good Samaritan Hospital is the only hospital in the region to use stereotaxis during catheter ablation. Stereotaxis guides the catheter using a magnet, providing dramatically increased precision and less risk of damage to healthy heart tissue. Benefits of stereotaxis include reduced procedure time and less radiation exposure for both you and your physician.
For many patients, a-fib originates in the pulmonary veins as they enter the left atrium. Our physicians electrically isolate each of the four veins by scarring around the veins as they enter the atrium. An ablation catheter and ultrasound probe are each threaded up to the heart through the femoral veins. The probe provides guidance to enter the left atrium through transseptal punctures.
The procedure is performed in about three to four hours, followed by an overnight hospital stay. Most patients resume normal activities within a few days. The majority of patients receive immediate relief from a-fib, but for some, improvement in symptoms comes over the next few weeks or months.
The TriHealth Heart & Vascular Institute is the first in Greater Cincinnati to offer the Arctic Front® Cardiac Cryoablation Catheter. This procedure, offered specifically at Bethesda North Hospital, ablates cardiac tissue through the use of a coolant, which is delivered through a catheter. This freezing technology allows the catheter to adhere to the tissue during ablation, allowing for greater catheter stability, more precision, and better outcomes for you.