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Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region
Web Event Shows New Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation 09-27-2007
The public is invited to view a Webinar that is broadcasting a new minimally invasive procedure pioneered by Sacramento heart surgeon James Longoria, M.D., to treat atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly and can lead to stroke, irreversible heart damage and the limiting of physical activity.
The Webinar is being broadcast around the globe on the Web site www.OR-Live.com. A live audience, which included interested physicians and other clinicians, viewed the Webinar in July from an adjoining conference room and met Dr. Longoria, medical director of atrial fibrillation for Sutter Heart Institute, after the hour-long broadcast.
Joining Dr. Longoria for the Webinar is Sutter electrophysiologist Larry Wolff, M.D.
Currently, it is estimated that more than 5 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation, also called atrial fib. While blood thinners such as Coumadin are often prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke, many patients have contraindications or cannot tolerate these products.
Dr. Longoria uses a different, minimally invasive technique to perform the most successful treatment for atrial fibrillation, the Cox Maze III, which ablates all the nerves that can cause atrial fib. This surgery is usually performed open-heart, but Dr. Longoria uses thorascopes through bilateral working ports to access the heart.
One of just a few cardiothoracic surgeons performing this totally thoracoscopic procedure, Dr. Longoria is helping to pioneer the next evolution of the epicardial surgical ablation procedure. The minimally invasive epicardial ablation approach builds on the foundational work of Randy Wolf, M.D., and his Wolf MiniMaze.
Smaller incisions – instead of the large one used in open-heart surgery – reduce postoperative pain and provide a more rapid return to normal activities than traditional entry methods.
"We use 5 and 10 millimeter ports, which reduce post-operative pain, resulting in hospital stays of between 48-72 hours," Dr. Longoria said. "The typical return to normal activity without restrictions is between seven to 10 days, which is significantly shorter than an open-chest approach."
Procedure time is also reduced to two to three hours, with the patient remaining in a supine position during the entire operation followed by prompt termination of general anesthesia.
Dr. Longoria has performed about 30 totally thoracoscopic procedures at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, as well as numerous open-heart procedures.
"We have considered the Cox Maze III procedure on cardiopulmonary bypass as the standard operative treatment," Dr. Longoria said. "Now we can offer a similar operation with a minimally invasive epicardial, beating-heart approach using bipolar radiofrequency ablation and intraoperative testing."
This event is being sponsored through grants provided by AtriCure Inc., which provides the devices used for the ablation procedure. For more information on the event, contact the Sutter Heart Institute at (916) 733-1777.
Sutter Memorial Hospital houses the Sutter Heart Institute with its four catheterization labs, including electrophysiology capabilities; 16-bed surgical intensive care unit; 16-bed cardiac intensive care unit; and 20-bed pediatric intensive care unit. Through rapid diagnosis, complex surgeries, non-surgical interventions and one of the most extensive research programs in the region, Sutter Heart Institute maintains its tradition of excellence in care for infants, children and adults. For more information on Sutter Heart Institute at Sutter Memorial Hospital, visit our website at www.suttermedicalcenter.org.
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The Webinar is being broadcast around the globe on the Web site www.OR-Live.com. A live audience, which included interested physicians and other clinicians, viewed the Webinar in July from an adjoining conference room and met Dr. Longoria, medical director of atrial fibrillation for Sutter Heart Institute, after the hour-long broadcast.
Joining Dr. Longoria for the Webinar is Sutter electrophysiologist Larry Wolff, M.D.
Currently, it is estimated that more than 5 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation, also called atrial fib. While blood thinners such as Coumadin are often prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke, many patients have contraindications or cannot tolerate these products.
Dr. Longoria uses a different, minimally invasive technique to perform the most successful treatment for atrial fibrillation, the Cox Maze III, which ablates all the nerves that can cause atrial fib. This surgery is usually performed open-heart, but Dr. Longoria uses thorascopes through bilateral working ports to access the heart.
One of just a few cardiothoracic surgeons performing this totally thoracoscopic procedure, Dr. Longoria is helping to pioneer the next evolution of the epicardial surgical ablation procedure. The minimally invasive epicardial ablation approach builds on the foundational work of Randy Wolf, M.D., and his Wolf MiniMaze.
Smaller incisions – instead of the large one used in open-heart surgery – reduce postoperative pain and provide a more rapid return to normal activities than traditional entry methods.
"We use 5 and 10 millimeter ports, which reduce post-operative pain, resulting in hospital stays of between 48-72 hours," Dr. Longoria said. "The typical return to normal activity without restrictions is between seven to 10 days, which is significantly shorter than an open-chest approach."
Procedure time is also reduced to two to three hours, with the patient remaining in a supine position during the entire operation followed by prompt termination of general anesthesia.
Dr. Longoria has performed about 30 totally thoracoscopic procedures at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, as well as numerous open-heart procedures.
"We have considered the Cox Maze III procedure on cardiopulmonary bypass as the standard operative treatment," Dr. Longoria said. "Now we can offer a similar operation with a minimally invasive epicardial, beating-heart approach using bipolar radiofrequency ablation and intraoperative testing."
This event is being sponsored through grants provided by AtriCure Inc., which provides the devices used for the ablation procedure. For more information on the event, contact the Sutter Heart Institute at (916) 733-1777.
Sutter Memorial Hospital houses the Sutter Heart Institute with its four catheterization labs, including electrophysiology capabilities; 16-bed surgical intensive care unit; 16-bed cardiac intensive care unit; and 20-bed pediatric intensive care unit. Through rapid diagnosis, complex surgeries, non-surgical interventions and one of the most extensive research programs in the region, Sutter Heart Institute maintains its tradition of excellence in care for infants, children and adults. For more information on Sutter Heart Institute at Sutter Memorial Hospital, visit our website at www.suttermedicalcenter.org.
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