What you can expect

SVT ablation is done in the hospital. Before the procedure, you'll receive a medication called a sedative that helps you relax.

A nurse or technician shaves any hair from an area, usually in the groin area, and then numbs the area.

The doctor makes a small cut to access a blood vessel in the numbed area, and inserts a long flexible tube (catheter) into the vein. He or she carefully guides the catheter into your heart.

Sensors on the tip of the catheter send electrical impulses and record your heart's electricity. Your doctor uses this information to determine the best place to apply the ablation treatment.

Your doctor will choose one of the following ablation techniques to create small scars in your heart and block abnormal heart rhythms.

• Extreme cold (cryoablation)
• Heat (radiofrequency energy)
• Lasers

SVT ablation takes about three to six hours. Afterward, you'll be taken to a recovery area where doctors and nurses will closely monitor your condition. You'll likely stay overnight in the hospital.