Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
Annies IRM ablation description may have given me some courage (I'm such a wimp!). OK, last months stroke may also have encouraged me. My heart has been rather regular since my stroke on 12/30 but this morning I had a 'I got to lay down' episode. which is rare for me, that lasted an hour at over 130 BPM. I tired of this and I've been living with this for soooo long!
The arrhythmia group at my local hospital http://www.arrhythmia.org/, now has the latest fourth generation tool.
http://www.valleyheartandvascular.com/Programs-Services/Stereotaxis-Niobe--Robotic-Cardiac-Ablation.aspx
This a mapping system coupled with a magnetic computer guided catheter. More accurate, shorter procedures, less x-ray exposure. They are doing FIRM and PVI with it.
Have any of you had experience or further info on Stereotaxis-Niobe?
The arrhythmia group at my local hospital http://www.arrhythmia.org/, now has the latest fourth generation tool.
http://www.valleyheartandvascular.com/Programs-Services/Stereotaxis-Niobe--Robotic-Cardiac-Ablation.aspx
This a mapping system coupled with a magnetic computer guided catheter. More accurate, shorter procedures, less x-ray exposure. They are doing FIRM and PVI with it.
Have any of you had experience or further info on Stereotaxis-Niobe?
http://www.stopafib.org/catheter-ablation/technology-robotic.cfm#niobe
petey
should ask your Doc about this.
When I was having events almost everyday it was horrifying.
I wish you a peaceful heart soon.
I going to talk to the guys with the Stereotaxis-Niobe. Its time for me to move forward with my treatment. And with this new approach, there so much less of a chance of them puncturing something inadvertently. I'll let you all know Friday if the Rehab hospital thinks my brain work well enough for me to drive. I'll feel more in control, once that happens.
I've been writing some software this week for the robot I'm building to play with the cats (it has sonar, and infra red detection). Guess my brain is working well enough for that!
I agree that your brain must be working well to be able to write software for a robot to play with your cats... as long as you really have cats. :-) petey
Sorry that you went to afib. But, that is the nature of having afib, you never sort of know when it comes. However, mine was very much food related. Certain foods would trigger afib in me hours later. However, at the end, I was sensitive to anything with potassium, which is almost everything (greens, beans, fruits). That is the reason I got my ablation in the hope that my food sensitivity to go away. Well, it has worked so far. So, I am pleasantly surprised.
As far as ablation, You can read my posts for "Daniel" regarding the ablation technology these days. I am very impressed with advances in this field.
Also, I think my EP used what you are talking above. May be not exactly the same system but something similar to it.
Before the ablation, I asked him lots of questions. One concern that I had was the amount of x-ray that I would get during the procedure. He said it is a lot less than a few years back. Then, he described what you have in your link. He said he only uses the x-ray for the first 15 minutes of the procedure and the rest of the time he relies on magnetic field and computer imaging to guide the ablation balloon or the RF catheter as they all have metal tips which are sensitive to magnetic field. I was very happy about that since I am NOT a fan of x-rays or CT scans (specially this one).
The advances in ablation technology compare to 10 years ago is really amazing. I think you will be do okay if you choose to go for an ablation.
Wish you lots of luck.
Take care,
Scott
Living in the Bay Area and having worked in Silicon Valley I was intrigued by the Stereotaxis system. At the same time I was aware that many technologies often over promise and under deliver.
I met with an ep at Silicon Valley Cardiology, a high volume ablation center, who told me they evaluated robotic systems like Hanson and Stereotaxis and they felt it did not provide improved outcomes when compared to traditional manual ablations. They felt that experienced hands are better than robot hands.
In my own research it seems like Stereotaxis is beneficial for those eps with less experience. When seeking an ep for an ablation the traditional advice has been to go to an ep that has performed a high volume of successful ablations. My sense is that the Stereotaxis will lead to levelling the playing field for less experienced eps and centers making ablation more mainstream.
It may be that catheter ablation at some point in the US becomes a first line therapy for certain patients (probably depends on the outcome of the CABANA trial see http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00911508 and insurance industry acceptance) and therefore technologies like Stereotaxis become invaluable.
I recall reading that to become proficient with Stereotaxis requires a minimum of 20 to 30 cases. The duration of the learning curve also depends on the frequency of use. It takes longer to learn if the system is used once per week versus once per day.
You might be interested in the article at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23585253
Hope this helps.
opsyn
Sorry u had a bad episode and do hope u are feeling better:) Good for u doing all the ablation research! I do hope it will work fof u. How long have u had a-fib? If is a life changing experience! I have always been healthy and active! Then out of the "blue last March - the sudden a - fib, in hospital for 3 days before they got me back in NSR. Did relatively well on Diltiazem and Warfarin.For 4 weeks I was on Amiidarone. What a horrible drug - it tripled my TSH in 3 weeks. They took me off it and thus the Diltiazemand Warfarin and finally an aspirin a day with the Diltiazem. No more episodes until Sept.Agai, suddenly. I have a good work up on my heart, so many tests and evertbing normal. I was back i tbe hospital againfor another3 days - trials of meds and more tests, some repeated. They put me in intensive care to work with Md better. Noe Sotalol 2 times day and back on Warfarin. They also are having a time getting it regulated this time. No problems last time. J get some skipped paused beats some time but so far ni a- fib. Get tired easily:( I really do wish u well and please take care and keep us updated. Hope u are in NSR...Were u on Warfari when u had ur stroke? Please stay o it. Don't want another stroke. Congratulatios on the software:) Ur mind seems Fine! 'HUGS TO YIU AND GID BLESS.
CHRISTINE.
No machine,robot, new catheter, mapping system can compare with the skill and magic touch of Dr Natale who is using the latetst and greatest toys he feels are the best and that's the Carto 3 mapping system and the 2nd gen ThermoCOOL catheters..and
FIRM is still a pipe dream with the baskets not being ablae to touch all areas of the atruim and the Topera software still not perfected.and hard to interpret. Steinberg will tell you you're not a candidate and offer you cryo of RF.
McHale
He'll be at a seminar
McHale