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HEART RHYTHM CENTER - DALLAS
In fiscal year 2020 , patients with complex heart rhythm disorders from throughout the region continued to seek the medical expertise and technology offered at the Heart Rhythm Center at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas . The center ’ s team of specialists on the medical staff is comprised of fellowship-trained cardiac electrophysiologists with intensive training in evaluating and treating heart arrhythmias , along with experienced nurse practitioners and nurses .
Patients benefit from accurate diagnoses and treatment of irregular heartbeat conditions , such as atrial fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia , atrial flutter , atrial tachycardia , PACs and PVCs , and other related arrhythmias . The team provides physicians and patients with information on heart arrhythmias and evidencebased treatment options , including medication therapy , catheter-based procedures and surgery . Specialized interventions include :
• 3D mapping for complex arrhythmia ablation
• Transcatheter ablation therapy , radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation
• Cardiac resynchronization therapy
• Left atrial appendage closure
• Pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator ( ICD ) device implantation
• Laser-assisted lead extraction and newer mechanical extraction system tools
• Cardiac device therapy for central sleep apnea
Heart rhythm disorders and research in FY20 : STOP Persistent AF clinical trial
The STOP Persistent AF trial focuses on the safety and efficacy of a dry-balloon device in those with recurrent , symptomatic atrial fibrillation ( AFib ) that has not been controlled by medication . Principal investigators for the study : Peter Wells , MD , and Kevin Wheelan , MD , cardiologists on the medical staff of Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas .
Heart Rhythm Center clinicians have historically played a pivotal role in clinical research studies that have led to the development and approval of many practical , advanced interventions . For example , Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Institute has enrolled patients in a study to monitor the safety and effectiveness of a left atrial appendage ( LAA ) closure device . In addition , the Heart Rhythm Center offers patients access to an array of clinical research trials examining new devices and treatment methods for cardiac arrhythmias . Patients are evaluated on an individual basis to determine if they are candidates for a clinical trial .
For information about the Heart Rhythm Center : 214.820.5306 .
CARDIAC ABLATION EXPERTISE
The first balloon ablation procedure was performed at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas in 2006 . The procedure was approved for commercial use in 2010 and has become a widely accepted approach . The hospital was also the first in North Texas to use the third-generation cryoablation device . Today , the EP labs at the hospital use a thin new version of the cryoablation catheter with critical changes that make the catheter more maneuverable by the electrophysiologist , while still delivering the energy needed to successfully treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation .
Catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia
Catheter ablation has grown as a treatment option for patients with ventricular tachycardia ( VT ), the abnormal rapid heart rhythm originating from the lower pumping chambers of the heart — the ventricles . Most commonly seen in patients with a weakened heart muscle from cardiomyopathy or from scar tissue as a result of a prior heart attack , VT left untreated can evolve into ventricular fibrillation ( VF ). VF can be fatal if not defibrillated into a normal rhythm .
To perform the procedure , skilled electrophysiologists on the medical staff place a long , thin wire into the heart chambers femorally ( through veins in the leg ). Once the areas of the arrhythmia are identified , a localized burst of radiofrequency energy is applied , cauterizing the abnormal electric circuit of the VT .
The EP labs at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas are equipped with sophisticated 3D mapping technology , decreasing the need for fluoroscopy and improving procedural time efficiency . The arrhythmia-locating technology combines magnetic and current-based technologies for real-time display of catheter locations , as well as intra-cardiac echocardiography images of the heart ’ s chambers . These maps contain anatomical , electrical voltage , electrical activation times and ablation data .
Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas Electrophysiology