Hybrid ablation is an emerging treatment for patients with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation. It is a dual approach, in which an electrophysiologist ablates from inside the heart and the cardiac surgeon ablates on the outside the heart. Dr. James Edgerton, a cardiac surgeon at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano in Texas, who spoke at the Boston AF Symposium, says: “Hybrid ablation is better than either afib surgery or catheter ablation alone in terms of effectiveness, and it also should reduce complications.”
Learn more: Hybrid Procedure May Offer Better Outcomes for Persistent and Longstanding Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
In September of 2008 I was diagnosed with AFIB and after receiving two
cardio conversion my Dr. gave me amiodarone to take to control my AFIB. In the past year and a half I have noticed my hair falling out plus last week my eye Dr. said this medication is also making my eyes dry.
I know this medication is very strong and would I be a candidate for this
Hybrid Ablation. Please give me some feed back on this.
I am in the same situation as your patient Mamie Rocheleau with prescribed amiodarone with the same symtoms. I have been on this medication for over 1 year and still continue to be in AFIB persistently.I recently heard about this new procedure and would be very interested in some feed back.I am a heart patient who has survived 2 heart attacks and was told by my cardiologist that my heart is very strong and my problem is my plumbing which is kept in control with 6 other prescriptions.I take my blood pressure twice a day and I am in AFIB about 70% of the time.My blood pressure is normally150 over 68 and pulse averages 58.I am 69 years old and other then my heart condition I am in very good health.I am 5 foot 11 and weigh 177 lbs.I was always very active but since I have been on these meds I am always very tired and very concerned about the dangers of AFIB. Please advise me what my options are.
try tikosyn loading it is a miracle for me I am in constant afib been 7 yrs now fighting it!! 2 yrs on tikosyn and much better. I am going to try hybrid ablation only certain dr can do the tikosyn investigate it I say it is great!!
Don’t do it! My father had the surgery in 2012. Complications of the surgery caused his death. His esophagus fused to his heart. He had a very painful and hard death. The doctors refused to even address the symptoms of him being septic had anything to do with his surgery. His complications occurred shortly after the surgery. He suffered so much. He had a hard time eating, even his breathing was hard. I know he knew he was dying. He went into the hospital with extreme fever (they wanted to give him tylonal and send him home, we even then had to insist that they keep him for observation). The next day his fever continued and he was so cold and kept saing help me. They just gave him a blanket and left. He had a seizure and was then put on life support. The doctors knew it was due to the surgery but wouldn’t address it. We asked them numerous times. They knew they couldn’t do anything for him and I don’t think they wanted to take responsibility. He was still septic when on life support. He eventually suffered a couple strokes and heart attract. We eventually took him off of life support. However, right after we took him off of life support the doctors were begging us to let them do an autopsy to see if it had anything to do with the surgery and to “better” the surgery. (But remember, they said he did not have complications from the hybrid surgery!!) He suffered before our eyes in the hospital and the doctors didn’t help him. So much more to say but this would turn into a book. We would have won a wrongful death suit but my siblings and I are all adults therefore we could not proceed. Horrible!!!
This surgery is not all they are trying to make it seem!
Dean,
I’ve tried replying to you privately, but messages to your email address were bouncing. Please email me – you can use this form to reach me: http://www.stopafib.org/contact.cfm). Thanks.
Mellanie
As a provider, I would first say that I am so sorry for your loss. While not knowing all the story, I could not provide specifics. But from what you have provided, it makes me suspicious that your father may have suffered from an esophageal-atrial fistula. These usually occur days or weeks after a catheter ablation. This is a known risk of the procedure and while luckily, rare, is almost universally fatal if they are significant.
I am unsure what constitutes the legal definition of wrongful death, but medically, this is well known and every cardiologist I know who ablates Afib includes this in their informed consent discussion.