How to Arrange an Ablation in Bordeaux.

I've spent a lot of time online trying to find a way to get full details of how to do this - without any success.

Could someone who has gone there please explain how exactly they got all the details they needed. Presumably you can get a brochure from the hospital giving price, location, local accomodation, how long one would need to stay there, whether a referral letter is needed, what drugs one would need to be on (like bloodthinner) and for how long before going etc etc.

Replies from anyone who has flown from the UK. would be great but not essential.

Thanks

Sam

PS Accidentally put this on the General Health Forum yesterday

Sam,

Though he'll have a Canadian perspective, you might read RonB's descriptions of his Bordeaux experience. Here is a search on his posts: <[www.afibbers.org] You could also PM him.

Contact info for the team's secretary is here: <[www.afibbers.org]
"You can contact Laurence Bayle (a woman) in Bordeaux for further information and to book an appointment laurence.bayle@chu-bordeaux.fr "

George

Hi Sam,

I went to Bordeaux in 2005 and the contact person George mentions will give you all the info you need. Laurence Bayle. She will reply to you very quickly. I'll gladly answer any questions you may have too. When I came back from France, I brought a bunch of Bordeaux maps with me, and sent them in an info pack to a number of people in Canada and the U.S. Unfortunately I don't have any maps left, but I can gladly give you other information.

Lou Toews

Hi Sam - as George mentioned I traveled from Canada to Bordeaux. Although I had some anxiety while there I would say the overall experience, and especially the outcome was good.

I first of all had a good doctor back home who was supportive of me going there. I also had some definitive holter monitor tests that I was able to package up and send to Bordeaux.

I contacted Laurence Bayle and she was able to provide me with a brochure showing their costs and success ratios. Then we sent her the results from my holter monitor tests that showed my afib in action. She responded quite quickly saying that I was a good candidate and gave me the option of booking an appointment fairly quickly.

While still at home I had to start on Coumadin. I also had to have a TEE a week before the procedure.

They like to do them on Mondays for people travelling from out of the country and then keep you in until Friday. Your spouse or support person can stay in the room with you for a nominal extra charge. You are on your own as far as accommodation before and after the ablation.

The location of the hospital is in Pessac which is about 1/2 way between Bordeaux and the beautiful seaside village of Arcachon - about 1/2 hour each way. The hospital is in a district that is somewhat industrial, although there are a few perfectly satisfactory hotels close by.

Bordeaux was a very nice place and we stayed in a basic hotel there. If you are there in the warmer seasons you would enjoy Arcachon where we stayed in a very decent hotel beside the beach.

If you are travelling from the UK you could arrive the day before, and then depart on the Friday when you are released.

The key is to get in touch with Ms. Bayle to start the ball rolling. If any of your afib events have been recorded I would ask for a copy of the EKG/ECG and send them to Bordeaux.

If you have any other questions feel free to contact me.
Ron

Many thanks for the information, folks. Exactly what I needed!

Sam

Hi Sam

I was there last August and I'm also from the UK.

Please do pm me if you have any remaining questions or concerns - I'll try to help.

Best wishes

Lesley

Great to hear Sam,

I glad to say you came to the right place for help and guidance on arranging for Bordeaux. And congrats on making an excellent choice for yourself! That is 9/10ths of the battle, getting off on the right foot with the best team you can arrange. As you have found there is a wealth of good advice hear about Bordeaux, I too visited for a consult and would have gladly done my initial ablation there, though hooked with Dr. Natale in the US with my insurance paying the full fare and am very happy too with the results

That is called a choice among an embarrassment of riches, where it would be hard to go wrong :-)

Shannon

Thanks for the great replies, folks!