Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) Ablation

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) ablation is a highly effective, minimally invasive cardiac electrophysiology procedure performed at Moolchand Hospital, one of the best cardiac hospitals in Delhi. SVT refers to a group of arrhythmias characterised by sudden episodes of rapid heart rate — typically 150 to 250 beats per minute — originating above the ventricles. While usually not life-threatening, SVT causes significant symptoms including palpitations, dizziness, breathlessness, chest tightness, and syncope, profoundly affecting quality of life and productivity.

The most common SVT subtypes are AVNRT (Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia — the most prevalent, caused by a reentry circuit within the AV node), AVRT (Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia — caused by an accessory pathway connecting the atria and ventricles, including Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome), and focal atrial tachycardia (arising from an ectopic atrial focus). Each subtype requires precise identification and targeted ablation.

At Moolchand Hospital in Lajpat Nagar, SVT ablation is performed by experienced cardiac electrophysiologists in our state-of-the-art electrophysiology (EP) laboratory. The procedure involves advancing multiple electrode catheters from the femoral vein to the heart under fluoroscopic guidance. An electrophysiological study (EPS) is first conducted to induce and map the SVT circuit or focus, identifying the precise site for ablation.

Radiofrequency (RF) energy is then delivered through the ablation catheter to the target site, creating a small (5–8mm) thermally controlled lesion that interrupts the reentry circuit or eliminates the ectopic focus. For AVNRT, the ablation targets the slow pathway of the AV node; for AVRT, the accessory pathway is located and ablated; for focal atrial tachycardia, the ectopic focus is mapped using 3D electroanatomical systems and ablated.

The procedure takes 1 to 3 hours under conscious sedation, and the cure rate exceeds 95% for most common SVT subtypes at Moolchand Hospital. Most patients are discharged the same day or after overnight observation and can return to normal activities within 1 to 2 days.