New hybrid procedure can alleviate symptoms of AF for one year
Heart health is a major concern for many people in the U.S., some of whom buy Plavix to reduce their risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
Heart health is a major concern for many people in the U.S., some of whom buy Plavix to reduce their risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. Conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF) have prompted many individuals to focus on eating more nutritious food and exercising frequently in order to maintain optimal health.
Scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine recently revealed a new procedure that can safely and effectively treat AF. This procedure combines minimally invasive techniques with catheter ablation, in which scars created on the surface of the heart prevent signals from causing this important muscle to beat irregularly.
The technique involves the threading of long, thin tubes into the heart via the patient's groin. These tools can be heated, allowing doctors to burn selective areas on the organ's inner surface. After such an operation, an estimated 70 percent of patients remain free of symptoms for one year.
"By applying the energy to make scars from both the inside and outside of the heart, we're better able to achieve a full-thickness ablation," says Hersh S. Maniar, a professor of surgery who has routinely performed this procedure. "A complete scar that crosses through the full thickness of the heart wall will more permanently block atrial fibrillation signals."
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