MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa successfully underwent a radiofrequency catheter ablation Thursday, a procedure that is an attempt to cure his irregular heartbeat.

Dr. Stephen Adams said DeRosa was resting comfortably at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Alan Kadish, a cardiovascular electrophysiologist, performed the procedure.

DeRosa had flown to Chicago on Monday to be examined after being forced to leave practice Saturday because of an irregular heartbeat.

Adams said the plan was for DeRosa to undergo an electrophysiology study in which Kadish would put a catheter in a vein, probably the femoral vein. The EPS is done in an attempt to induce an atrial arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.

Depending on what the doctors found, DeRosa would then undergo the radiofrequency catheter ablation.

DeRosa could return to Arizona on Sunday and could resume taking batting practice by the beginning of next week. Adams said if DeRosa passes all the tests, he could be going "full throttle" by the end of next week.

DeRosa, who turned 33 on Tuesday, was first diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat when he was a teen, and told the Cubs medical staff that it has been occurring with increasing freqency.

"His concern is that he doesn't want this to happen in the middle of a game, and he would have to come out of a game," Adams said Wednesday.