Catheter ablation is an invasive procedure that takes three to five hours.
Catheters are typically inserted through a leg vein in the groin and guided to the heart. When the catheter reaches the treatment site, a type of energy called radio frequency energy is delivered through the catheter. This destroys the abnormal cells responsible for the fast rhythms. Most patients are monitored overnight and discharged the following day. The national success rate for this procedure is greater than 95 percent.