Atrial fibrillation

Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that scars small areas of heart tissue to block abnormal electrical signals and restore regular rhythm. Patients who undergo successful ablations have relief of AFib symptoms and may have a reduced risk of stroke.

In most cases, patients are admitted the morning of the procedure for an overnight hospital stay and are able to resume normal activities the next day.

Pulmonary vein isolation/atrial fibrillation ablation procedure

Pulmonary vein isolation — also called pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVAI) or atrial fibrillation ablation — is a specific type of catheter ablation and one of the latest technologies for treating AFib. Research has identified areas in the left atrium, specifically around the pulmonary veins, as the source of atrial fibrillation.

In this minimally invasive procedure, doctors use pulsed field (electrical) energy, radio waves (heat), or cryoenergy (cold) to stop the abnormal electrical signals in the cardiac tissue surrounding the left atrium pulmonary veins. Pulsed field ablation, the newest and fastest method, reduces recovery time and protects surrounding noncardiac tissue while achieving excellent results.

For some patients, irregular heart rhythm can be extremely dangerous and life threatening. These patients may be treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator device (S-ICD), which can prevent future life-threatening cardiac events, including sudden cardiac death.

In this procedure, the doctor implants the small device under the left or right collarbone. Once the device is in place, the doctor inserts small wires that lead from the device to the heart. If a life-threatening incident occurs in the heart's rhythm, the device automatically shocks the heart to return to a normal rhythm. 

S-ICD procedures are offered at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, Sharp Grossmont Hospital and Sharp Memorial Hospital.

A portion of the left atrium is clamped off where blood clots tend to form, reducing the risk of stroke. This procedure is routinely performed along with maze or mini-maze. Patients can often stop taking blood thinners immediately after this procedure.

This procedure can be done surgically or more commonly through a minimally invasive transcatheter placement of the Watchman™ and Amulet™ devices.

For patients with AFib, blood thinners (also called warfarins or anticoagulants) are the most commonly prescribed treatment to reduce stroke risk. However, some patients can't tolerate long-term blood thinner use or the risk of bleeding complications.

Watchman and Amulet devices offer an FDA-approved alternative to blood thinners through a small, permanent implant. The implant closes off an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage to keep harmful blood clots from entering the bloodstream. This can reduce stroke risk, and, over time, patients may even be able to stop taking blood thinners.

Surgeons perform maze surgery to treat chronic AFib by creating a maze of new electrical pathways to let electrical impulses travel easily throughout the heart.

This surgical procedure creates a pattern of scar tissue in the upper chambers of the heart interfering with irregular electrical signals. Because patients with mitral valve disease often experience AFib, the maze procedure may be performed in combination with mitral valve surgery.

The maze procedure is offered at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and Sharp Memorial Hospital.

This minimally invasive procedure uses the successful techniques from the maze procedure, but does not require opening the chest, so patients experience a shorter recovery time and smaller incisions. Tiny incisions are created in the chest and an energy source is used to heat the tissue and create a lesion that blocks the arrhythmia's path.

The mini-maze procedure is offered at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

A new, two-stage technique, hybrid maze combines a mini-maze and left atrial appendage occlusion performed by a surgeon with a catheter ablation performed by an electrophysiologist.

Sharp Memorial Hospital is the only hospital in San Diego — and one of only three in California — to offer this unique team approach to AFib treatment.

A variety of heart rhythm disorders can be controlled with an artificial pacemaker. A pacemaker delivers timed, electrical impulses to the heart muscles traditionally through a small device surgically placed in the chest with tiny wire leads. Traditional pacemakers have had only one or two leads that could pace just the ventricles or the atria. Now biventricular pacemakers use three leads to treat the delay in heart ventricle contractions.

Dual chamber leadless pacemakers are the latest innovation in pacemakers. During a minimally invasive procedure, devices that are smaller than traditional lead pacemakers are placed directly into the heart using a catheter-based delivery system inserted through a groin vein.

Anatomical mapping is a type of electrophysiology study that uses advanced technology to produce 3D images showing the electrical signals passing through the heart. Your doctor uses these images to identify the source of the arrhythmia.