Atria Wiggle

If you are a gunslinger Electrophysiologist, it's easy to make the claim that your Atrial Fibrillation Ablation is going to be 100% successful (never fail), but unfortunately, that usually just refers to the day that the procedure was performed. Percentages drop off to about 50% long term success, for having just a single ablation procedure (for long-standing chronic A. Fib).

Sooner or later, those guys who have had their 2nd procedure and three or four cardioversion's are bound to bump into each other on the golf course and begin to compare notes. That's when they can talk about that new dance step, the Atria Wiggle.

Atria Wiggle

Keeping up with the Joneses
The Odgates and Behringers,
High minded folks
And all packing derringers,
Success with their passions
They love wines and juicy rib,
Find they all do agree
They don't like A. Fib.

This singular phenomena
The fibrillating heart,
Strikes many, over fifty
Causes vary, a la carte,
And a few of that bunch
Will find no particular reason,
Their atria wiggle
On a whim and a season.

It is easy to blame        
On many health conditions,
Hypertension and heart attacks
Abnormal valves, in addition,
Holes in the atrium
That were present at birth,
Overeating that results in
Uncontrolled girth.

An overactive Thyroid
Or metabolic issue,
Alcohol, and tobacco
And stimulants on a tissue,
Sick Sinus syndrome
And diseases of the lungs,
Rapturous chanting
With speaking in tongues.

Prior heart surgeries
Viral infections,
Sleep apnea snoring
And emotional affections,
Anger and arguing
Or a near-death event,
Atrial Fib is so sneaky
It is hard to prevent.

Genetics or heredity?
That surely, isn't clear,
Perhaps, as a side-effect
Of those diseases we fear,
But one thing is certain
If you're in this family crib,
Everyone does agree
That they don't like A. Fib.

Fibril_late;
3/7/13