Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoablation

Innovative Techniques Now Available at the American Hospital of Paris

To treat the electrical short circuits that cause arrhythmia, medication was the preferred remedy for years, but this solution is not effective over the long term. The patient always relapses and may also suffer from serious side effects.

Today, the French, European and American health authorities mainly recommend radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation as the first-line treatment, because ablation is the only option that guarantees permanent recovery from the disease. Don't let the word 'ablation' scare you, it simply means the disease is 'removed.' The idea is to burn the short circuits in the heart chambers, using either heat (radiofrequency ), or cold ( cryotherapy ). This innovative technique was invented in France, and our expertise in the field is recognized the world over.

At the American Hospital of Paris, medical excellence is based on the best of French and American medical practices. When treating heart rhythm disorders, the best French medical practice is ablation.

To perform this extremely technical procedure, the physician must have special training and accreditation. During heart surgery, the surgeon momentarily stops the heartbeat. But radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation are performed on a beating heart. Therein lies the challenge. And of course you must have the necessary and relatively expensive high-tech device, like the one in which we are investing today. Few establishments are able to offer this procedure to their patients.

L’ablation par radiofréquence ou cryothérapie est une prouesse technique et technologique.

Il s’agit une intervention mini-invasive, pratique sous anesthésie générale pour le confort du patient. Celui-ci peut sortir de l’hôpital et reprendre ses activités dans les 48 heures qui suivent. Le rythmologue insère un cathéter dans la veine, au niveau de l’aine, et l’achemine jusqu’aux oreillettes cardiaques, à l’entrée des veines pulmonaires. La chaleur émise par radiofréquence vient créer des lésions qui isolent les signaux électriques anormaux et empêchent leur propagation dans le reste du cœur. Pour l’ablation par cryothérapie, on gonfle un ballon à l’entrée de la veine pulmonaire, on vérifie par angiographie la parfaite occlusion de la veine et on refroidit le ballon grâce à un gaz à -60° C. Le cathéter diagnostique positionné dans la veine permet de vérifier en temps réel la déconnection électrique. Quelle que soit la technique choisie, il s’agit d’une véritable prouesse technique. Aujourd’hui, les progrès technologiques et la maitrise du geste garantissent un risque de complication quasiment nul. Pour le patient, c’est une chance de guérison considérablement augmentée. L’arythmie peut vraiment être une forme de handicap et induire très rapidement, par exemple, une grande difficulté à marcher. L’ablation permet au patient de récupérer une vie normale, d’en améliorer très significativement la qualité et de bénéficier d’une plus longue espérance de vie. Pour les patients de l’Hôpital Américain de Paris, c’est un avantage considérable que nous puissions désormais leur proposer cette stratégie thérapeutique.

 

atrial fibrillation ablation on an outpatient basis

The American Hospital of Paris is one of the only private hospitals in France to offer atrial fibrillation ablation on an outpatient basis (medical conditions permitting). 

The procedure lasts an average 45 minutes. It is performed in the morning under general anesthesia using transesophageal ultrasound guidance. This technique makes it possible to ensure optimal safety and view the heart during the procedure, thereby mitigating the risk of complications.  

Immediately after the procedure, patients are monitored for two hours in the post-anesthesia care unit before returning to their room in the outpatient department, where they continue to be closely monitored. The patient can return home six to eight hours after the procedure. 

Thereafter, the patient can resume regular checkups with their cardiologist. 

The outpatient procedure enables patients to resume their personal and professional activities more quickly. 

Before and after the fibrillation ablation procedure:

  • Before the procedure:

- A heart CT scan is performed, making it possible to perform the minimally invasive curative atrial fibrillation ablation procedure in 3D, which increases the procedure’s efficacy and safety while reducing its duration. 

- An anesthesia consultation, as the atrial fibrillation ablation is performed under general anesthesia for greater patient comfort. 

  • Post-operative recommendations:

- Physical exertion must be limited for 48 hours after the procedure, without restricting mobility.  

- Regular physical activity can be resumed seven days after the procedure.

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American Hospital of Paris
2023-10-13T17:46:47