DALLAS, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas (PHD) has unveiled an innovative surgical option — available for the first time in North Texas — to correct a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation (AF). The new Epicor(TM) Cardiac Ablation System (St. Jude Medical, MN) uses high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) — a unique energy source — allowing surgeons to treat AF from outside a patient’s beating heart without invading the heart muscle or using a heart-lung bypass machine during surgery. PHD joins such centers as Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago and Jewish Hospital, Louisville where the technology is available.
Atrial fibrillation is a widespread cardiac rhythm disorder in which the upper chambers of the heart do not beat effectively because of abnormal electrical activity. AF results in reduced cardiac output, exacerbates heart failure and can result in the pooling and clotting of blood in the heart, leading to stroke or other neurological problems. According to the American Heart Association, about 2.2 million people in the United States have AF, making it the most common chronic heart-rhythm disturbance.
“Ultrasound provides a safer energy source for restoring heart rhythm,” said William H. Ryan, III, MD, cardiovascular surgeon on the medical staff at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas where he performs the procedure. “Unlike radiofrequency and microwave energy — used in other ablation techniques — HIFU avoids the potential for damage to structures around the heart,” he explained. The device allows surgeons to avoid use of the heart-lung bypass machine, which can introduce new complications. Epicor also holds potential to perform the procedure minimally invasively, enabling a broader population of patients to be considered.
Many AF patients have been treated with medications to slow the heart and prevent blood clots. These powerful medications, which some patients will need for the rest of their lives, have a number of side effects. Catheter-based treatments have also been performed; however, the procedure time can be long and may not always be successful.
Currently, the Cox-Maze procedure is considered one of the most effective surgical treatments for AF, eliminating arrhythmia in nearly 97 percent of patients treated. However, only a handful of surgeons — including Dr. Ryan — perform the Cox-Maze procedure, due to the technically challenging and invasive nature. Additionally, it requires patients to go on a heart-lung bypass machine, so it has been reserved mostly for those needing additional heart procedures, such as a coronary artery bypass graft or valve repair.
Using Epicor, surgeons complete a “simplified Maze” pattern by delivering HIFU energy to the surface of the heart muscle — a process that takes about 10 minutes. HIFU causes scar tissue to appear along the “maze” patterned on the heart’s surface. The scar tissue serves to guide the heart’s electrical current along the appropriate path — much as a river flows through two embankments — thus correcting the AF.
PHD is a regional cardiovascular referral center, with more than 30 cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons — including Dr. Ryan — on the medical staff, who perform some of medicine’s most challenging heart-related procedures. Dr. Ryan is one of only 13 surgeons in the world who has performed more than 200 Ross procedures — a complex surgery to replace a damaged aortic valve with a patient’s own pulmonary valve; and subsequently replace the pulmonary valve with a human donor valve. For more information on Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas heart programs and other services, visit http://www.phscare.org/ or call 1-800-4-Presby (1-800-477-3729). For more information on St. Jude Medical, Inc. visit http://www.sjm.com/ .
About Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
Established in 1966, Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas (PHD) has provided nearly 40 years of service and is the flagship hospital of Presbyterian Healthcare System, a part of the faith-based, non-profit Texas Health Resources system. PHD is a recognized clinical program leader, providing technologically advanced care to patients in Women and Infants, Cardiovascular, Orthopedic, Neuroscience, Digestive/Surgery, Oncology, and Ambulatory Care services. PHD is a regional referral hospital for North Texas and beyond. The 866-bed facility maintains approximately 4,000 employees and an active medical staff of more than 1,000 physicians.
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
CONTACT: Linda Goelzer of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas,+1-214-345-4960, or pager, +1-214-759-5535, or [email protected]
Web site: http://www.texashealth.org/http://www.phscare.org/http://www.sjm.com/
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