Patient-Focused Heart Rhythm Expertise
NorthShore Cardiovascular Institute’s Heart Rhythm Program features a collaborative team of experts committed to providing compassionate care with the most innovative treatment plans and best possible outcomes. Our team of electrophysiologists have expertise in identifying, diagnosing and treating abnormal heart rhythms, from A-Fib treatment to complex ablations and leadless pacemakers. Comprehensive Cardiovascular care, provided right here.
Innovation and Advanced Treatment Options
Our new Lead Management Program is a cooperative effort co-directed by electrophysiologist Mark Metzl, MD, and cardiovascular surgeon Hyde Russell, MD.With an absolute focus on patient safety, our multidisciplinary team removes recalled, broken or infected wires from implanted devices providing a full range of options for a growing patient population.
Ventricular tachycardia ablation for premature ventricular contractions (PVC) is a new advanced option for patients who are very symptomatic, but with other normal cardiac function, as well as for heart failure patients.
Lead Physician: Dr. Mark Metzl
Our innovative team also offers Catheter Ablation of AFib without Fluoroscopy. Every patient that undergoes ablation becomes exposed to the immediate and longer-term risks of radiation. ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) is the mandate for procedures that involve radiation exposure, and practices will soon be graded on ALARA. Patients will inevitably become aware of this, and it will likely have a significant impact on patient satisfaction levels. Now, based on state-of-the-art technology combined with the innovative approaches of our EP team, radiation has become a risk of the past. Over the last year, we have successfully performed multiple procedures with the ultimate ALARA: Zero radiation. The range of ablations done with minimal or zero radiation spans from relatively simple ones to the most complex procedures we do. Your patients can now experience safe, effective ablations free from the risks of radiation at Northshore.
Lead Physicians: Dr. Mark Metzl, Dr. Jose Nazari
A collaborative program with our structural heart team involves catheter placement of the WATCHMAN device to close the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), with a CHADsVASC of 3 or greater, who have undue risk of bleeding from anticoagulation and would otherwise need a lifelong regimen of blood thinners. NorthShore was involved in the initial clinical studies of the now FDA-approved device.
Lead Physicians: Dr. Ted Feldman, Dr. Michael Salinger, Dr. Jose Nazari
For some patients, the leadless single-chamber pacemaker (Micra) is the best option. If your patient is in need of a ventricular pacemaker, the electrophysiologists at NorthShore can implant this leadless device, which is much smaller and less invasive than the traditional pacemaker. It’s self-contained, placed via transcatheter with no surgical pocket, automatically adjusts patient’s heart rate, permits safe usage of MRI testing, and translates to fewer medical complications and post-implant activity restrictions.
Lead Physicians: Dr. Wes Fisher, Dr. Jose Nazari
Hybrid A-Fib Ablation is another collaborative option with Dr. Russell and our Cardiac Electrophysiology team for treatment of persistent or difficult to treat A-Fib. This innovative, extremely minimally invasive treatment option integrates both a video-scope and catheter approach into a single procedure. Very small incisions are used to gain access to the pericardial space and ablation is performed on the back wall of the left atrium while a catheter-based ablation is also completed to eliminate heart tissue causing abnormal electric signals.
Lead Physicians: Dr. Mark Metzl (EP) and Dr. Hyde Russell (CV Surgery)
We continue to actively enroll in the WRAP-IT (antimicrobial envelop) study to reduce cardiac device infections.
Lead Physician: Dr. Wes Fisher
The Next Frontier
Through NorthShore’s pioneering Genomic Health Initiative, patients with genetically related arrhythmia problems are now being identified before they suffer any clinical issues or symptoms. The CVI team is reaching out to patients with genetic disorders including some ventricular tachycardia, CPDT, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Long QT Syndrome.
Our exceptional team-based approach with recognized experts in electrophysiology, surgery and cardiology provides maximal options and improved outcomes for more patients, including those previously considered too sick to undergo treatment.
Contact us for more information about our advances in our Heart Rhythm Program at (847) 86-HEART.
