Why it's done

Cardiac ablation is a procedure that's used to correct heart rhythm problems.

When your heart beats, the electrical signals that cause your heart to squeeze (contract) must follow a specific pathway through your heart. Any disruption in the signaling pathway can trigger an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia).

Depending on your type of heart rhythm problem, cardiac ablation may be one of your first treatments. Other times, it's done when other medicines or treatments don't work.

Your doctor may recommend cardiac ablation if you:

• Have tried medications to treat an arrhythmia without success
• Have had serious side effects from medications to treat arrhythmias
• Have certain types of arrhythmias that respond well to ablation, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and supraventricular tachycardia
• Have a high risk of complications from arrhythmias, such as sudden cardiac arrest