A 36-year-old member asked:
what's the difference between catheter ablation and radiofrequency ablation for treating arrhythmias like svt?
3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. William Scottanswered
Pediatric Cardiology 39 years experience
General term: Catheter ablation is a general term referring to elimination of electrical conduction in very specific areas of the heart. Two primary technologies are used to perform catheter ablation. Radiofrequency energy is a rapidly alternating electrical current that generates heat at the point of catheter contact. Cryo ablation uses super cooled nitrogen to freeze at the point of of catheter contact.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Jason Rubensteinanswered
Cardiology 20 years experience
The same.: "catheter ablation" and "radiofrequency ablation" are really terms for the same procedure. Some ablations use other energy sources (like freezing) to perform ablation, but rf is the most common.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Volkan Tuzcuanswered
Pediatric Cardiology 31 years experience
Ablation : Catheter ablation is a more general term, there is also cryo ablation besides RF ablation
2.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Last updated Sep 28, 2016
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