Cardiac Electrophysiology - How Technology has Tamed the Heartbeat

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07-05-2021

Raja Selvaraj. Professor of Cardiology, JIPMER

Introduction

3,000,000,000

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Sign of life

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Cardiac Electrophysiology

Study of heart beat and its disorders

Outline

  • Heart rhythm disorders
    • Slow heart rates
    • Fast heart rates
  • Introduction to rhythm abnormalities involving a fast heart rate
  • Development of electrophysiology studies and ablation therapy
  • Implantable defibrillators for preventing sudden death

SVT - The racing heart

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Palpitations

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Supraventricular tachycardia

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The heart as an electrical organ

Electricity and life - Luigi Galvani, Italy 1780

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Augustus Waller - Late 1800s

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Forsmann - 1929

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Electrophysiology studies - Catheters

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Catheters in the heart

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Recording / seeing the signals

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Understanding the mechanism of tachycardias - Durrer 1960s

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Understanding reentry

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Durrer D, Schoo L, Schuilenburg RM, Wellens HJ. The role of premature beats in the initiation and the termination of supraventricular tachycardia in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Circulation. 1967 Nov;36(5):644-62. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.36.5.644

Technology - Stimulator

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Tachycardia in WPW

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Reentry as common mechanism

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DC for ablation

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Radiofrequency

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RF ablation today

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Electroanatomic mapping

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Electroanatomic mapping

Arrhythmias and sudden death

Abdul Kalam 1931-2015

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1 in 7 deaths in the US

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Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2018 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000558

Early, bystander CPR

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Ventricular arrhythmias as cause

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Early defibrillation

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External defibrillators

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The general population and the individual

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Heart failure post myocardial infarction

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Mirowski - 1960s

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History of development

  • Young Polish Cardiologist
  • Trained in France
  • Joined Professor Harry Heller in Israel in 1963

Professor Harry Heller

  • Recurrent ventricular arrhythmias
  • DC cardioversion
  • Dies suddenly (1966)

Idea for ICD

  • Early defibrillation can be life saving
  • Implanted device that can defibrillate ?
  • Scepticism, moved to USA

Early results - 1969

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First report - 1970s

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Evolution

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ICD today

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Trials, patient groups

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Anthony Van Loo

Summary

  • Electrophysiology - The study and treatment of heart rhythm disorders
  • Excellent example of synergistic cooperation between science and technology
  • Paroxysmal palpitations - Ablation procedures with success rate > 90%
  • ICD implantation, routine procedure, saves lives in selected patients