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Electrophysiology · UK

SVT ablation - the palpitations, mapped and cured.

Catheter ablation for supraventricular tachycardia - AVNRT, AVRT (accessory pathway, including WPW), focal atrial tachycardia and typical atrial flutter. A consultant cardiac electrophysiologist, 3D mapping, and outcomes that match international benchmarks.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private SVT ablation costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner electrophysiology units.

In short

Day-case AVNRT ablation with 3D mapping: £11,000–£15,000, home home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
Diagnostic EP study alone £6,500–£9,500
AVNRT ablation with 3D mapping £11,000–£15,000
AVRT / WPW accessory pathway ablation £12,000–£17,000
Focal atrial tachycardia ablation £13,000–£18,000
Typical atrial flutter ablation (CTI) £10,000–£14,000
Redo SVT ablation £14,000–£19,000
Electrophysiology consultation only £300–£500

Prices vary by hospital, consultant and approach.

The problem

The palpitations, diagnosed properly - then ablated once.

SVT ablation is one of the most rewarding procedures in cardiology when the diagnosis is right and the operator is high-volume - and one of the most frustrating when it isn’t.

  • Capture the rhythm before the ablation

    An event recorder or wearable that captures the tachycardia on 12-lead is worth more than a hundred appointments.

  • Match the ablation to the mechanism

    AVNRT, AVRT, atrial tachycardia and atrial flutter each have their own strategy. The wrong mechanism = the wrong ablation.

  • Choose the right operator for pre-excitation

    WPW and complex accessory pathways belong in a high-volume EP lab - not a general cardiology list.

When it helps

When SVT ablation is the right step.

The mechanisms we see most, plus the red flag that means urgent - not routine - electrophysiology.

  • AVNRT

    Regular narrow-complex tachycardia with abrupt onset and offset, pseudo-r’ in V1 - the classic AVNRT. Highly ablatable.

  • AVRT via accessory pathway

    Orthodromic AVRT through a concealed pathway, or antidromic AVRT in WPW. Mapping and ablation of the pathway.

  • WPW with delta wave

    Pre-excitation on baseline ECG. Ablation for symptomatic patients and selected asymptomatic patients with high-risk pathway features.

  • Focal atrial tachycardia

    Regular tachycardia with a P-wave axis pointing to the focus. Common sites: crista terminalis, coronary sinus ostium, tricuspid annulus.

  • Typical atrial flutter

    Saw-tooth flutter waves, isthmus-dependent - cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation is the cure.

  • Recurrence after previous ablation

    Recurrent SVT despite prior ablation - redo with 3D mapping to identify residual substrate.

  • Palpitations planning pregnancy

    Symptomatic SVT in women planning pregnancy - ablation before conception avoids anti-arrhythmic drugs during pregnancy.

  • Red flag: syncope with pre-excitation

    Syncope, pre-excited atrial fibrillation, or a very short pre-excited RR interval is high risk - urgent EP study, not routine.

Procedure options

Mapping and ablation strategy depend on the mechanism.

Each SVT has its own map, its own energy source and its own endpoint of success.

  • Slow-pathway modification for AVNRT

    The classic AVNRT ablation - slow-pathway modification in the low right atrial septum. Success rate above 95 percent in experienced hands.

  • Accessory pathway ablation for AVRT/WPW

    Mapping and ablation of the accessory pathway (left- or right-sided, septal or free-wall). Trans-septal approach for left-sided pathways.

  • Focal atrial tachycardia ablation

    3D mapping to localise the focus, then radiofrequency or cryo ablation. Success rate 80–90 percent.

  • CTI ablation for typical atrial flutter

    Line of block across the cavotricuspid isthmus. Success rate above 95 percent; long-term freedom from flutter over 90 percent.

  • Cryoablation

    Preferred for pathways close to the AV node - cryo produces a reversible early lesion, reducing risk of heart block.

  • 3D mapping systems

    Carto or Ensite mapping systems reduce fluoroscopy time and improve mapping accuracy - standard on all our SVT ablations.

  • Conscious sedation vs GA

    Conscious sedation for most cases; GA for children, complex ablations, or where a trans-septal approach is anticipated.

  • Diagnostic EP study alone

    Where a specific SVT cannot be induced or the diagnosis is uncertain, an EP study without ablation can clarify the mechanism.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

SVT ablation is one of the most successful procedures in cardiology. The things worth planning are the diagnosis, the operator and the mapping technology.

  • Sedation or GA

    Most cases done under conscious sedation; GA for children or complex cases. Home the same day for most SVT ablations.

  • Groin haematoma or vascular injury

    Small groin haematoma in 2–4 percent; significant vascular injury under 1 percent. Ultrasound-guided access reduces risk.

  • Atrio-ventricular (AV) block

    Rare with modern technique (under 1 percent for AVNRT). Cryo, junctional beat monitoring during radiofrequency and titrated power all reduce risk.

  • Cardiac tamponade

    Rare (under 0.5 percent for SVT ablation). Recognised early and drained percutaneously in the lab.

  • Stroke and thromboembolism

    Very low for right-sided SVT ablation; slightly higher for left-sided accessory pathways (trans-septal). Peri-procedural anticoagulation.

  • Recurrence

    AVNRT recurrence under 5 percent; accessory pathway recurrence 5–10 percent depending on location; CTI flutter recurrence under 5 percent.

  • Radiation exposure

    3D mapping cuts fluoroscopy time by 60–90 percent versus fluoroscopy-only ablation. Zero-fluoro approach in selected cases.

  • Contrast and kidney

    Minimal contrast use - mapping is anatomical, not angiographic.

  • Red flags after discharge

    Chest pain, breathlessness, spreading groin swelling, palpitations at exercise-level rates lasting minutes - same-day team, or A&E.

Reading your operation note

Your ablation report in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever mechanism was found, the report the electrophysiologist sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK electrophysiologist reviewing an EP study report

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note and the histology before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Mechanism, energy and access

    Diagnosed mechanism (AVNRT, AVRT, atrial tachycardia, flutter), energy used, vascular access sites.

  2. 02 Technique

    Mapping and lesion set

    Which 3D map, catheter positions, junctional beats during ablation, cryo lesion vs RF, and final confirmatory testing.

  3. 03 Findings

    Endpoints and inducibility

    Non-inducibility of the tachycardia, block across the isthmus (flutter), or loss of pre-excitation (WPW).

  4. 04 Impression

    Success, medications and follow-up

    Read this first: procedural success, anti-arrhythmic medication plan (usually stopped), and follow-up ECG and wearable schedule.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

SVT ablation is usually covered when medically indicated by symptomatic tachycardia.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about SVT ablation.

Quick answers on diagnosis, success, safety, cost and recovery.

  • Do I definitely have SVT, or could this be something else?

    A captured 12-lead ECG during the tachycardia is the gold standard. Common lookalikes include atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter with variable block, and sinus tachycardia with premature beats. Where the diagnosis is unclear, a wearable rhythm monitor for up to four weeks or a formal EP study clarifies it before an ablation is booked.

  • Will the ablation cure my SVT for good?

    In experienced hands, AVNRT ablation has a long-term success rate above 95 percent. Accessory pathway (WPW/AVRT) success is 90–95 percent depending on location. Typical atrial flutter ablation cures over 90 percent long-term. Focal atrial tachycardia is 80–90 percent, and redo procedures are sometimes needed.

  • Is SVT ablation dangerous?

    Serious complications are rare in experienced hands. Cardiac tamponade under 0.5 percent, AV block requiring a pacemaker under 1 percent for AVNRT (using junctional-beat monitoring and cryo where indicated), stroke very low for right-sided procedures. Vascular injury under 1 percent with ultrasound-guided access.

  • How much does private SVT ablation cost in the UK?

    AVNRT £11,000–£15,000, accessory pathway/WPW £12,000–£17,000, focal atrial tachycardia £13,000–£18,000, typical atrial flutter £10,000–£14,000, redo ablation £14,000–£19,000.

  • How long is recovery?

    Home the same day in most cases. Back to office work in 24–48 hours. No heavy lifting or straining for a week. Full return to sport at 2 weeks. ECG and clinic review at 4–6 weeks.

  • Should I stop my anti-arrhythmic drugs before the ablation?

    Yes - anti-arrhythmic drugs are typically stopped for five half-lives before the study so the tachycardia can be induced and mapped. Beta blockers are stopped 48–72 hours before, amiodarone can require longer. Your EP team gives you a written plan.

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