Doc Spaw and his cardiology degree from Igotit U. would tend to believe you're going in for an ablation as I said above. The idea here is that there are so many electrical impulses firng, the heart becomes confused. Your situation is Atrial Fib and this procedure has a pretty good success rate in fixing the electrophysiological function in the heart. First the heart is "mapped" and then the unwanted signals are physically cut. Years ago this was actually done in an open procedure with a knife cutting the electrical channel.

We've come a bit forward from there thankfully. What will happen is this: You'll be in a cath lab and just like in a cardiac cath, the probe will be inserted at the groin and snaked through to the heart. Additionally though, another probe will be entered at the neck. From that point on the Doc mucks about in your heart til he has figured out what needs blocked and then does it with an energy source, often a laser. The average time is maybe two hours on the high side.

Now when Doc Spaw had this done his condition was extreme and the Cardiologist has problems in sorting out the signals (and the guy was really good). So it took almost FIVE hours at which point Spaw was ready to kill someone! Bear in mind you will often be awake and will not be allowed to move during this procedure. My back still gives me problems at times and 5 hours was way past my limit.

Also, afterwards you'll have to do the "cath lab drill" which means lying flat for 3-5 hours til they are assured the bleeding from the insertion sites has stopped. Ask Karen.....I was so fried by the time the op was over I threw a major fit and threatened anyone even close with violence unless I could stand up for just a few minutes. It worked but only because my friend Wayne, a Physician's Assistant and former EMT/Paramedic was there to help.

Most go a lot better than mine did! Also, most are infinitely more succseeful. It did wonders but didn't completely control the A-Fib. This was back in '98 and so many other heart procedures have happened since........The thing is, you can live with chronic A-Fib but I hope it all goes well for you and you get the real resolution this procedure can produce.


So when are you and Amy coming back? FOLKS....Amy is just great as many of us learned last time around but when you meet her in person she's really pretty cool. Karen and I were nuts for her right away as was every animal in the house.


Doc Spaw