Determining the Length of Hospital Stay After Cardiac Catheter Ablation for Afib

April 22, 2022

Woman and her female electrophysiologist discuss how her cardiac ablation procedure went and how long she will stay in the hospital

Because of the complexity of cardiac catheter ablation and the technology needed, ablations are performed in a specialized operating room at the hospital, known as an electrophysiology or EP lab. For many, despite the procedure being performed in the hospital, there is the opportunity to be discharged at the end of the day. However, several factors may require an overnight stay or longer for some patients.

  • First, if you were admitted to the hospital for another cardiac concern and Afib was found incidentally, you may have to remain in the hospital to handle these other issues., This extended stay is less likely to occur when the patient comes in for scheduled cardiac catheter ablation.
  • Your general health also makes a difference in the length of recovery time after ablation. To be sure, this is a minimally invasive procedure that places less strain on the patient’s body and heart compared to open surgery. However, general anesthesia or twilight sedatives are used, and these procedures can last for quite a while – upwards of four hours in complex cases. This can put extra stress on the patient’s body and require additional downtime after the procedure.
  • This leads us to the length of the procedure. Depending on the time of day during which the procedure is performed and how long the procedure takes, the patient may not be discharged on the same day. We endeavor to schedule our ablations earlier in the day to avoid this.
  • Other cardiovascular concerns. If Dr. Tordini is concerned about other potential risks associated with the Afib she is treating, she may keep you in the hospital precautionarily for observation.

Of course, every ablation is as unique as the patient having it. Therefore, we decide on an appropriate hospital stay based on your consultation, your testing, and the procedure results.

We look forward to helping you improve or resolve the issues associated with cardiac arrhythmia, and we look forward to seeing you at a consultation soon.

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Dr. Tordini is a part of Florida Medical Clinic in Tampa

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