

Your nurses will shave your groin area and neck so they can insert the catheters. The catheter drains urine during the procedure and recovery. Once you arrive at the hospital, a nurse will insert an IV into your arm to give you any medications and fluids that you will need during the procedure.īecause you will be receiving fluids from an IV, your nurse will sometimes place a Foley catheter into your bladder. List of current medications or current medication bottles (This list should include the drug name, dose, and how often you should take it.).Things to Bring With You to Your Cardiac Ablation If you wear glasses, contacts, or dentures, bring a case to store them in.Do not wear perfume or lotions with any fragrance.Take only medications your doctor has told you to take with a small sip of water.You will need someone available to drive you home after the test.ĭo not eat or drink anything after midnight on the night before your ablation.

If your TEE is the day before your ablation procedure, you can eat and drink again as soon as your throat isn’t numb. You may feel the doctor moving the probe, but it shouldn’t hurt or interfere with your breathing.Ī nurse will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. We lubricate the tube is so that it will slide easily. As you swallow, your doctor will slowly guide the tube into your esophagus. The doctor will gently insert a probe into your mouth. (You could also be given oxygen.) Then we will ask you to lay on your side. We may also give you a mild sedative through an IV in your arm to help you relax. Once in the room, we will spray your throat with an anesthetic to numb it. We will then take you to the testing room. When you arrive for you TEE, you will change into a hospital gown.

We evaluate this on a case-by-case basis. However, the quality of the imaging may be lower than usual. Note that even if you have an an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator, we can often still safely perform an MRI at University of Utah Health. This is also a non-invasive, painless test. If your physician decides you can’t have a cardiac MRI, they may schedule you for a cardiac computed tomography (CT). If you are cold, we can get you a blanket.
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The technician will also use the headphones to give you instructions on how to breathe during certain parts of the scan. We will give you headphones so you can hear the technician who runs the machine. The ball will alert the technician, who runs the MRI machine, if you are feeling too uncomfortable or having any problems. We will put a cushion under your knees and giving you a ball that you can squeeze in your hand. We will try to make you as comfortable as possible. During MRIĭuring the MRI, you will be lying on your back. Also tell your doctor if you are claustrophobic or if you get anxious in tight spaces. You will need a 13-hour medication treatment before the MRI. Please tell your doctor if you have any allergies to iodine or shellfish (contrast allergies). We will also ask you to change into a hospital gown.Īfter those things are done, an MRI tech will place an IV in your arm (possibly two). Remove all metal objects (such as glasses, jewelry, belts, or clothing with zipper).Do not drink any caffeine 24 hours before the scan.(Your will need your blood drawn one month before your MRI.) Please also follow these instructions: This blood helps us see if your kidneys are healthy and working the way they should.
