title: Radiofrequency ablation: a review of its application and nursing considerations.
abstract: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a therapeutic electrophysiological procedure, has become the treatment of choice for a number of cardiac arrhythmias. These arrhythmias include those of anomalous pathways, as seen in AV nodal re-entry tachycardia and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, and re-entry tachycardias of atrial and ventricular origins. This paper discusses the mechanism of RFA and the physiology of re-entry circuits, and outlines the cardiac arrhythmias treated by RFA. The nursing responsibilities associated with the RFA procedure--including patient education, observation for potential complications, and other peri- and post-procedure considerations--are then addressed.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potts
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elliot
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011182:Postoperative Care