Common examples

• Cardiac ablation: destroys small areas of heart tissue causing abnormal electrical signals, often used for arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.
• Endometrial ablation: destroys the uterine lining to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Tumor ablation: uses heat, cold, or other energy to destroy certain tumors.
• Catheter ablation: a minimally invasive technique where a catheter delivers energy to targeted tissue.

How it works

Depending on the type, ablation may use:

• Heat — radiofrequency or microwave energy
• Cold — cryoablation
• Laser or other energy
• Chemical agents in some procedures

The goal is to eliminate the tissue responsible for the problem while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.