WHY YOU MIGHT NEED A SECOND OP

CARDIOVERSION — shocking the heart back into its normal rhythm — is normally effective in the short-term, but won’t stop a recurrence. In some cases, it is successful to start with, but then the abnormal heart rhythm returns.

Catheter ablation — where faulty electrical signals in the heart are blocked, usually with heat — can have instant results, but often doesn’t work immediately and problems can persist. However, patients should know eight to ten weeks after the procedure whether it has worked.

‘If the ablation doesn’t work the first time round, typically because they haven’t hit the right spot, you may need another ablation or to explore alternative treatments,’ says cardiologist Professor Chris Gale.

According to an analysis of studies looking at the success rate of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2013, around half of the people treated will need a second ablation procedure within five years.

‘A key factor in determining success is how persistent and longstanding the arrhythmia is,’ says Professor Gale. He explains that it is better for patients who have only had atrial fibrillation symptoms for up to a year.