Irregular heartbeats need expert diagnosis

       Irregular heartbeats are often difficult to pinpoint and diagnose. A variety of conditions can cause your heart to beat irregularly, and these conditions can sometimes be serious. You might need to see an expert specialist called an electrophysiologist.

       Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s electrophysiologists are devoted to the evaluation, consultation and treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and flutter, supraventricular tachycardia including Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome and ventricular tachycardia. Electrophysiology studies (EPS) assist Deborah’s physicians in determining where rhythm disturbances originate and identifying the specific type of arrhythmias involved.
       Comprehensive device therapy is also included in the EPS service. Pacemaker and defibrillator implants and lead extractions are offered for standard indications. Biventricular devices are now available for emerging indications including congestive heart failure. Deborah has an outpatient service dedicated to both pacemaker and defibrillator evaluation and complex programming.

Advanced technology
      Deborah recently added one of the region’s first Stereotaxis GentleTouch™ Magnetic Treatment Systems to their state-of-the-art electrophysiology suite. Thanks to this equipment, Deborah Heart and Lung Center physicians will now have the ability to view the inside of the heart, both anatomically and electrically.
       “The Stereotaxis GentleTouch™ Magnetic Treatment System allows our doctors to monitor hearts more precisely and safely than ever,” says Raffaele Corbisiero, M.D., Director of Deborah’s Electromechanical Therapy Institute. “This technology combines the benefits of computer-aided magnetic guidance with gentle catheter contact, which allows us to navigate and treat the heart without the risks associated with manual and mechanical devices.”
       This system’s innovative technology uses computer-controlled magnets positioned outside the body to programmatically steer catheters and guide wires throughout the delicate cardiovascular system. With the computer used to assist in precise navigation, the doctor is then able to focus on the patient and the outcome rather than the mechanics of the procedure.

Patient benefits
       Stereotaxis technology can be used to treat a number of heart irregularities, including arrhythmias, heart failure and coronary artery disease. The potential benefits to patients include shorter procedures, a faster recovery time, less exposure to X-ray radiation and dyes, a reduced risk of serious complications from perforation of blood vessels or heart tissue, and reduced likelihood of referral to highly invasive open-heart surgical procedures.