BMH docs team up for AFib treatment
A new means of eliminating or reducing the severity and frequency of long-term atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heartbeat, has led to the teaming up of Butler Health System doctors of different specialities to treat patients — and with excellent results.
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a condition in which chaotic electrical signals in the two upper chambers of the heart cause a rapid and irregular heartbeat.While the condition can cause heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness, it can also increase a patient's risk of stroke, heart failure, blood clots and other cardiac conditions.More than 6 million people in the United States have AFib.Many times, patients are given medications to help regulate the heart rhythm, which can come with side effects.But a new procedure at Butler Memorial Hospital can greatly reduce or even eliminate AFib in patients who have suffered from the condition for more than a year.Dr. George Davliakos, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Butler Health System, said a surgeon makes a small incision beneath the breastbone of the anesthetized patient and uses a scope to access the area behind the heart.“That area is difficult to get to with other procedures,” he said.The surgeon is then able to cauterize the areas where AFib occurs.“The (resulting) scar tissue does not let the atrial fibrillation occur,” Davliakos said.He said the handful of patients who have undergone the surgery since it began being offered about six months ago at Butler Memorial have tolerated it well.“It's a low-risk surgery and people heal up pretty quickly,” Davliakos said. “It's a minimally invasive procedure and people are only in the hospital one or two days.”Six weeks later, the patient returns to have an ablation through the veins, to freeze the area around the pulmonary veins in the left atrium that cannot be accessed by the heart surgeon.
Dr. James Storey, director of electrophysiology at Butler Health System, explained that the procedure is done with X-ray guidance in a one- to two-hour procedure.He said the procedure using both treatments was invented about 10 years ago, but only one facility in Pittsburgh offered it in recent times.“It gained traction because a recent trial came out last year showing fairly significant benefits for these patients,” Storey said.He said the success rate in the trial was 70%, as opposed to 50% with just cauterizing by a surgeon.The first convergent procedure was performed Sept. 20 at Butler Memorial, and more are scheduled.“It's early on, but all the patients are doing very good,” Storey said.He said the new dual procedure is greatly improving the lives of those with persistent AFib.“I think a lot of these patients were being told there is no hope for them,” Storey said.He said working with other physicians on patients is a growing trend.“This kind of represents a big focus we have at the Butler Health System and around the country, where two different doctors work together as a team to have a better result and a safer procedure,” Storey said. “I think it's a really good way to practice.”
He said Butler Health System is doing its part to take the lead in the area regarding procedures that combine specialties.“It's a really exciting time,” Storey said. “I feel like this procedure has really opened the door to not turning patients away that we would have formerly had to turn away.”He credits the health system with maintaining a focus on new ways to provide improved treatment to all patients.“We have really kept up with a lot of innovations over the years, and this is just one more thing to prove how progressive and innovative the hospital continues to be,” Storey said.He said the health system recently added another procedure in which cardiologists and heart surgeons work together on heart valve procedures.“That improves the results,” Storey said.He said doctors attend conferences and seminars to learn the new procedures, and proctors travel to the hospital from other regions to provide doctors with demonstrations.Storey is very pleased with the results of the convergent procedures for those with AFib.“We've had good results with all of them,” he said.
