Cavalier Ablations

Paroxymal A.Fib, SVT, ,Brady & Tachycardia's, ectopic beats: When an arrhythmia has either failed drug therapy, has become too bothersome or is indeed life-threatening, then ablation should be considered. While the procedures themselves, done by highly experienced operators, are relatively risk free.............those risks include major bleeding, serious vascular complications, stroke, cardiac tamponade, emergent open-heart surgery and even death. Sometimes those complications occur with persons, who could have made a safer and less invasive choice. The process should be this; Primary medicine to Cardiologist, and lastly, a possible referral to an EP specialist. Many times, stable arrhythmia's can be managed without a trip to the ED or the operating room; what the patient needs is education.


Flecainide saved me
From the Ablator's tools,
Waiting a decade or two
Will expose some of the fools,
Who claim to be magicians
When indeed they are not,
They'll zap or freeze anything
Just to say they're a hotshot.

They act very cavalier
Claiming it’s safe and routine,
Minimizing the risks
Do you understand what they mean?
When they quote a low percentage
Of bleeding, death or stroke?
Percentages based on one-hundred
Statistically, it’s a bad joke.

When bad things happen
During procedures that
Weren’t absolutely needed,
But the hotshot advised
And the patient heeded,
Believing that advice
Without attempting a safer avenue,
If a terrible outcome happens?
The doctor will say,
“We did all that we could do”.

A number of arrhythmias occur
In folks without heart disease,
Some of them require ablation
But not everyone, if you please,
Patient education regarding
Triggers, cause and termination,
Might avoid intentionally scarring one’s heart
And paying for a Doctor’s vacation.

If the average Joe can learn
To replace the oil or change a tire,
I’m pretty sure we can teach him
How to stop his arrhythmia without a freezing wire,
Without running the risk
Of perforating his heart,
Let’s educate and give him that chance
Before the Ablation needs to start.