An electrophysiology study is a test that looks at the electrical system of the heart. It is done to find out why someone's heart may beat too slowly or too quickly, or why it does not beat in a regular pattern.
A cardiologist (doctor who specializes in the heart) does the test. During the electrophysiology study, the doctor inserts flexible catheters, or wires, into veins and guides them into the heart. Through these catheters, the doctor can look at and record the electrical activity of the heart.
Sometimes an ablation is done to treat an electrical problem found during an electrophysiology study. An ablation occurs when a signal of energy is sent through the catheter to destroy heart cells that are causing the abnormal heartbeat.
These tests can be scary for a child and often children need sedation medicine to help calm them down for the test. The doctor will explain to you how the test is done and about the sedation if it is needed. Feel free to ask the doctor any questions you may have.
Show AllTalk to your child about the study ahead of time. Tell him / her what will happen in simple words. Be honest with your child and allow him / her to share his / her feelings.
The doctor may want your child to have some tests done before the electrophysiology study. Some of these tests include: blood and urine tests, chest X-rays, electrocardiogram (EKG), and an echocardiogram. The doctor will schedule these and tell you about them. These tests will help the doctor know more about your child before the study.
Sedation or anesthesia, both medicines to help calm your child, may be used for the study. Because of this, do not allow your child to eat or drink anything from midnight until the electrophysiology study.
If your child is having the study as an outpatient at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, you should report to the Same Day Surgery Unit at the scheduled time. A nurse will take care of your child here before the study.
The doctor may order some last-minute blood tests or other tests before the study, and the nurse may give your child some medicine to help calm him / her.
Your child will go to the cardiac catheterization room on a stretcher. You may walk with him / her to this area and then say good-bye here before the study. There are special nurses who will take care of your child during the study.
When you leave your child for the study, you should go to the Surgery Waiting Room of Same Day Surgery. The nurses will give you directions. Please sign in with the volunteer and sign out if you leave this area.
If you do leave the Same Day Surgery area, please return within one hour of the time you arrived. The Surgery Waiting Room is where the doctor will come to talk to you after the study. You will also receive phone calls throughout the electrophysiology study and when the study is complete.
If your child had sedation or anesthesia for the study, he / she may go to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Recovery Room). You may be with him / her in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit after he / she starts to wake up.
When your child leaves Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (usually within two hours), he / she will go to his / her hospital room or the Same Day Surgery Unit. He / she will be watched closely by a nurse for several hours. He / she will need to stay in bed during this time.
The nurses and doctors will give you discharge and follow-up instructions before you and your child leave the hospital.
