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Physicians at Saint Barnabas Heart Center Use New Generation Robotics to Treat Heart Arrhythmias Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston is among the first hospitals in New Jersey to provide the state-of-the-art Sensei Robotic Catheter System that is helping cardiologists place catheters in hard to reach places in the heart anatomy and keep them there with more stability. The new robotically-controlled catheter offers superior treatment for atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia. The robotic navigation system changes the way we perform complex minimally invasive electrophysiology procedures,” said Marc Roelke, MD, Director of Electrophysiology at the Saint Barnabas Heart Centers at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. “It has the potential to dramatically improve the success rate of ablation.” “Surgical robotic technology has proven to be a tremendous advantage in the operating room and now similar precision and stability are available in minimally invasive catheter-based procedures,” notes John F. Bonamo, MD, Executive Director of Saint Barnabas Medical Center. “We are proud to bring this advancement to patients in New Jersey.” Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 2.2 million Americans. Afib occurs when stray electrical signals disrupt the body’s natural heart rhythm. It often produces a rapid, irregular and disrupted heart rhythm that can cause fatigue, lightheadedness, shortness of breath and other symptoms. People with Afib may have an increased risk of stroke. Ablation is an electrophysiology procedure in which the source of the patient's heart arrhythmia is mapped, localized, and then destroyed (ablated.) The small scar created is electrically inactive and cannot generate heart arrhythmias. Prior to the introduction of robotic technology, ablation was performed using a manual catheter technique that required the cardiologist to perform complex catheter manipulations with inadequate assurance that the tip of the catheter would respond as desired while inside the patient’s heart. The Atrial Fibrillation Center, located at both Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, is one of the highest volume atrial fibrillation programs in the New Jersey. The Center’s comprehensive approach to care includes a team of experienced cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and electrophysiologists that provide a complete assessment and treatment plan. Some heart centers claim a high cure rate for Afib, but fail to follow-up with patients after procedures are completed. The Atrial Fibrillation Center, however, routinely measures the long-term success of treatment by following-up with patients at regular intervals. It is the only center in the region whose team includes an atrial fibrillation nurse practitioner dedicated to tracking the overall success of therapies for people with Afib. This growing database provides invaluable insight in to the most effective treatments for Afib, based on long-term results. For more information about the robotic catheter system or the Saint Barnabas Atrial Fibrillation Center, please call 1-866-549-AFIB or 1-866-549-2342. Date: July 14, 2009 Contact: Caren Malone
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