Which term denotes the invasive procedure used to remove a faulty electrical pathway from the heart?

• A. Aneurysm
• B. A fib
• C. AAA
• D. Ablation

Answer: (D)

Ablation refers to an invasive procedure that destroys or isolates tissue in the heart that creates abnormal electrical signals. By delivering energy through a catheter to targeted areas, physicians create small scars that interrupt the faulty conduction pathway, preventing episodes of tachyarrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation or accessory pathway–mediated tachycardia. The other terms describe conditions rather than procedures: an aneurysm is a bulge in a vessel, AAA is an abdominal aortic aneurysm, and A fib is the rhythm disturbance itself, not its treatment. In practice, notes would often specify “catheter ablation” aimed at the arrhythmogenic pathway.