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The surgeon (a Cardiac Electrophysiology or EP doctor) goes in through both large groin veins, maps the two upper chambers to locate the offending nerve endings, then uses either heat or cold to treat the openings of the pulmonary veins in both upper chambers. With time, the treated areas form scar tissue, which blocks abnormal electrical impulses, so the fibrillation doesn't happen.

Preliminary work consists of a blood test (a week before), then a CT scan with iodine IV -- that takes about 15 minutes, and was done the Friday before the Wednesday procedure. Then fast from midnight until the procedure. Before the procedure, I had a chest x-ray and an EKG, IV port inserted, then waited until he was ready. Then the anesthetist injected a "relaxer," and I drifted off.

After the procedure, you have to lay perfectly flat for about six hours, with fairly heavy weights on the groin area. If you react to general anesthesia like I do, you'll mostly sleep through that period. I still had an IV port in one arm, but no IV. I was hooked up to all kinds of heart monitors. Was encouraged to eat and drink as soon as possible, which I did. I also spent a lot of time coughing up bloody goo from the intubation tube and oxygen - if they offer you a pneumonia shot, take it. For at least six hours, you're trying to cough up goo laying flat - hard to get it out.

After six hours, I got up and went for a walk, just me, the nurse, and my Foley catheter (not all surgeons insert a catheter, but that might be more a female issue). After a good three circuits of the ward, the catheter and pressure bandages were removed, the blood cleaned off, groin re-bandaged, got hooked up to the monitor again, and could sleep in any position I wanted. So I did. Woke up for the 0500 vampire to snatch more blood, got another EKG, then slept like a stone until 0800 and breakfast (inhaled it - Southwest Methodist has good breakfasts). Got released about lunchtime.

Orders were to take it easy for a week, no lifting anything over 10 pounds, no driving for 72 hours, no squatting or swimming/hot tub for a week -- all this to prevent the groin insertion points from opening up (no stitches). Plan on picking off a lot of adhesive from all those electrode patches. I found some even three days later...

Over the next few weeks, a-fib will decrease to nothing as the scar tissue forms. I'm still on the anti a-fib medication, plus a blood thinner, until the doctor decides all is good and I can be weaned off both.

Unfortunately, three days later, my right leg was in so much pain that I thought it was a blood clot. Off to the ER, where they checked me out and said no clot, that the bundle of nerves near that vein was inflamed. Heavy doses of OTC painkiller and I was fine by that night.

The cousin most like me had to have it done in 2008 and 2010, but now she only takes a baby aspirin. My best friend could not be controlled by any known medication, so he had it done. All was great, but now he's starting in again, and figures another procedure is necessary. I hope that will do it for him, like my cousin. I think WLToo's might be similar to my friend, and I do hope he has it done -- for my peace of mind, if nothing else.

Interesting that his cardiologist is not so fond of catheter ablation, considering that my cardiac surgeon is the one who trained him… It's very common, a rather inexpensive procedure, and quite safe.

I've only had four days, but I can feel the difference. I recommend this wherever possible. Total cost is so much cheaper than the anti a-fib drug costs over time. My anti a-fib med is not one of the really expensive ones, but it's still $290.54 at Costco each month. The ablation total cost will be recouped in 2 years after I stop the medication. My part of the ablation cost will be recouped two months after I stop the medication. It's so worth it to me.

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Generally, if the medicines do not control the a-fib, then it's the best method. Or, if you tell your doctor you are tired of medications, tired of being tired/breathless/just feeling off, it's a good idea. Some doctors have not treated the a-fib, as WLToo's case, because they are more concerned with thinning the blood so it lessens the stroke factor.

However, a-fib not treated does not take care of all the fluttering in the upper and lower chambers, which does not allow for all the blood to leave the lower chambers, thereby creating the possibility of clotting/stroke, in spite of the blood thinners. Which is why WLToo's doctor is bugging the******out of me, being hesitant to recommend what is a very common procedure. So as soon as my recovery is complete and I'm off the medications, I'm going to push for WLToo to have the procedure, too.