Cardiac Electrophysiologist Performs First Catheter Ablation
January 8, 2010
Cardiac Electrophysiologist Performs First Catheter Ablation
for Atrial Fibrillation in Cheyenne
Cheyenne, WY – A patient at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center underwent a five-hour cardiac procedure yesterday to correct a potentially life-threatening heart condition known as atrial fibrillation.
The procedure, a catheter radiofrequency ablation, was performed by M. Obadah Al Chekakie, MD, a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist in practice at Cheyenne Cardiology Associates, which is part of the Wyoming Heart & Vascular Institute.
Yesterday’s ablation is the first-ever to be performed at Cheyenne Regional on a patient with an atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the upper chambers of the heart usually beat too fast and in which the lower heart chambers often beat in an irregular pattern.
Dr. Chekakie performed the first-ever catheter ablation in Cheyenne at Cheyenne Regional last September to correct a patient’s atrial flutter. An atrial flutter results when electrical signals in the heart cause the upper chambers to beat too fast.
In an ablation, a thin, flexible catheter is threaded through a vein into the heart. The catheter uses high frequency energy to burn small, precisely targeted areas of the heart that are causing an irregular heart rhythm. The procedure allows the heart to re-establish electrical pathways so that it can beat normally again.
“The patient came through yesterday’s procedure very well and is resting comfortably at home after an overnight-stay in the hospital,” said Dr. Chekakie.
There are several risks associated with atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation, including heart failure, stroke associated with clots that can form in the atria (upper chambers of the heart) and fainting. Symptoms of both conditions can include rapid irregular pulse, palpitations, shortness of breath while lying down or standing, confusion, dizziness, fainting and moderate to extreme fatigue. Both conditions are caused by electrical signals in the heart that make the heart pump blood inefficiently.
In July, Cheyenne Cardiology Associates and the Wyoming Heart & Vascular Institute began offering the services of Dr. Chekakie, the only full-time, practicing clinical cardiac electrophysiologist in southeast Wyoming. An electrophysiologist is a cardiologist with specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders.
A lab entirely dedicated to electrophysiology procedures, including ablations, will be completed at Cheyenne Regional by next summer. At this time, ablations are performed in the cardiac catheterization lab at Cheyenne Regional.
About Wyoming Heart & Vascular Institute
The Wyoming Heart & Vascular Institute offers complete cardiovascular care in the heart of the west. We are dedicated to all aspects of cardiac and vascular health. From prevention to diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation, we provide a variety of services that are focused on helping to improve your quality of life. Our medical and clinical experts use the latest technology and treatments to aid in the healing process. The Wyoming Heart & Vascular Institute is a service of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.
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