Details.
Electrical cardioversion for certain patients troubled with atrial fibrillation, involving one or more controlled electrical shocks delivered to the chest under a general anaesthetic. Patients may require anticoagulant medication before and after the procedure and may have a transoesophageal echocardiogram immediately beforehand to check for clots. The procedure generally takes about 10 minutes, followed by a short recovery and several hours of observation. Patients should be nil by mouth for four to six hours beforehand, may experience some chest soreness afterwards, are typically discharged on the same day, and should arrange to be driven home.
