Electrophysiology| | Experience Fairfield Medical Center

Keeping Your Heart in Rhythm Each and Every Beat

Fairfield Medical Center heart attack patient The electrical system of the heart is meant to maintain a proper rhythm. When the heart beats irregularly, it prevents the heart from pumping the right amount of blood. This is called an arrhythmia. While some arrhythmias are mild, others can be dangerous or even life threatening. Common types of arrhythmia include:

Atrial fibrillation
Bradycardia
Tachycardia
Ventricular fibrillation
Premature contractions
Conduction disorders

FMC Expands Electrophysiology Program, Treatment

Fairfield Medical Center’s comprehensive cardiovascular program is investing in technology to expand care and treatment options for patients with arrhythmias, or abnormal heart rhythms.

Placement – a pacemaker is a small, battery-operated device that is placed in a patient’s chest with wire leads running to the heart. When the pacemaker detects the heart isn’t beating properly, it sends a low-level electrical pulse through the leads to make the heart beat at the correct pace.
Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS) – an option for some patients with bradycardia (slow heart rate) who need a single chamber pacemaker. The device is one-tenth the size of standard pacemakers and is implanted directly into the heart.
Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator Placement (also called a Defibrillator or ICD) – similar to a pacemaker, an ICD can detect more serious arrhythmias and send a high-level pulse to shock the heart back into rhythm.
Ablation – an advanced technique in which the area of the heart that is causing irregular heartbeats is destroyed either by heat energy or freezing. While most ablations are done in the Electrophysiology Lab, some are performed in the operating room during an open heart surgery procedure.
Loop Recorder Placement – a procedure to insert a device in the chest that monitors for arrhythmias over a period of time to determine treatment options.
Lead Extraction – a procedure to remove the leads from a pacemaker or defibrillator when the leads aren’t performing properly or the patient acquires an infection. Lead extraction can be a delicate procedure, especially if the leads have been in place for several years.
Cardioversion – a procedure where an electrical shock or medication is delivered to the heart to convert an abnormal heart rhythm into a normal rhythm for patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

Advanced Technology

Fairfield Medical Center is proud to be one of the first hospitals in the country to offer the world’s smallest pacemaker for patients with bradycardia (the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System). This advanced pacing technology is one-tenth the size of traditional pacemakers and is a less invasive option with a shorter recovery time.

Procedures to treat electrical problems of the heart are commonly done in our electrophysiology lab under local anesthetic, but may be done in an operating suite under general anesthetic.