The ablation procedure takes two to six hours to complete. Patches for ECG, cardiac mapping, and defibrillation are applied, and the patient receives conscious sedation or general anesthesia to minimize pain and movement (these may affect the stability of the catheter inside the heart). A radiopaque esophageal temperature probe and an indwelling urinary catheter are inserted. Venous access is obtained through the right and left femoral veins and sometimes the right internal jugular vein. A radial or femoral artery is used for arterial pressure monitoring during the procedure. An intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter is inserted through a femoral vein to guide catheter manipulation, evaluate tissue contact or lesion morphology, and allow immediate recognition of complications. A specialized catheter is inserted into the femoral vein and positioned in the coronary sinus for recording and pac.