Epicardial Catheter Ablation

This innovative new technique, performed by UC San Diego Health System specialists, offers a less invasive alternative to conventional open-heart surgical ablation for ventricular tachycardia.

During epicardial catheter ablation, a special catheter is passed through the chest wall into the pericardial space around the heart. Using a cooled-tip catheter, radiofrequency energy is then used to cauterize the heart tissue causing the abnormal heart rhythm

UC San Diego’s Cardiovascular Center is the only medical center in the San Diego region to routinely perform this ablation technique. It is performed in our newly remodeled electrophysiology lab.