Experts at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Use VT Ablation to Treat Potentially Life-Threatening Heart Rhythm Disorder

Ventricular tachycardia (v-tach) is a heart rhythm disorder that starts in the ventricles of the heart, causing it to beat so fast that the lower chambers can’t fill with blood. Without treatment, this can lead to heart failure or sudden cardiac arrest. Arrhythmia experts at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute offer a specialized treatment option for patients with this life-threatening disorder.

VT ablation is used to treat v-tach with either heat (radiofrequency energy), extreme cold (cryoenergy) or with electrical fields (pulsed field energy) to create small scars on the heart and block these abnormal circuits. The procedure is performed via a blood vessel in the groin and a catheter is guided up to the heart using X-rays and ultrasound. The problem area is mapped and then targeted with the catheter using the chosen energy source. Sometimes, a specialized approach to target the heart’s outer layer may be undertaken in challenging cases. The goal is to restore a patient’s heart rhythm to normal levels.

V-tach can present itself through palpitations, loss of consciousness and shortness of breath. Some patients may need additional interventional measures such as an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).

“Early referrals for VT ablation are crucial,” explains Aditi Naniwadekar, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. “It’s best for us to see patients before they get critically ill due to ventricular tachycardia. Plus, early referrals give us a chance to develop a rapport and establish trust with patients prior to a catheter ablation.”

Dr. Naniwadekar adds that experts at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute maintain open communication with referring physicians, who are continually updated about their patient’s progress while remaining an integral part of their care.

For more information or to refer a patient, please call 855-876-2484.