Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura Offers New Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation, Lower Sedation Option for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Patients

Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura is offering heart patients a new option for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (Afib), or an irregular heart rhythm, called Pulsed Field Ablation. This innovative new technology earned FDA approval in 2023, and Community Memorial became one of the first hospitals in Ventura County to offer the procedure earlier this year. Also new in the Community Memorial cardiac catheterization lab is a moderate sedation option for eligible Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) patients. 

“As part of our commitment to delivering more to our patients, we are proud to bring these advancements in heart care to Community Memorial,” said Mick Zdeblick, Community Memorial Healthcare President & CEO. “Our heart specialists are some of the best and the brightest in the region. Their expertise, combined with the experience of our entire cardiac team, allows us to make these innovative options available so residents don’t have to leave our community to receive exceptional heart care.” 

Pulsed Field Ablation

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that if left untreated, can lead to stroke or heart failure. During a traditional atrial fibrillation ablation procedure, a catheter is guided to the heart’s interior, and extreme temperatures (heat or cold) are used to interrupt the cardiac pathways that cause the abnormal rhythms. While these traditional ablation techniques have demonstrated success, they can cause collateral injuries to surrounding tissues.

Pulsed Field Ablation relies on tissue-selective electric pulses to ablate heart tissue, avoiding injury to surrounding tissues. Pulsed Field Ablation is a safe, quicker, and effective alternative treatment for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. 

“In recent trials, Pulsed Field Ablation has been shown to be equally as effective as traditional thermal ablation, but the procedure is quicker and has been shown to be safer for many patients,” said Dr. Jonathan Dukes, Director of Electrophysiology at Community Memorial. “Making effective therapies more broadly available while also minimizing risk is critical to improving quality of life for as many patients as we can.” 

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) Under Moderate Sedation

TAVR procedures may now be performed at Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura under moderate sedation. Patients who fit the eligibility criteria for moderate sedation are not given general anesthesia, but rather a combination of two drugs administered by a nurse, similar to those used during a colonoscopy. Patients wake up quicker when the procedure is over and often go home the same day. Multiple safety mechanisms are in place during each procedure to ensure the safety and comfort of patients under moderate sedation. 

”Moderate sedation is an excellent option for TAVR patients who have a good understanding of the procedure and are at low risk for complications during the procedure,” said Dr. Omid Fatemi, Community Memorial Healthcare’s Medical Director of Structural Heart and Low-Risk Revascularization. “For these patients, moderate sedation usually means they return home sooner and experience and easier recovery with fewer side effects from anesthesia.”  

TAVR is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that repairs a narrowed heart valve without removing the old, damaged valve. Instead, an artificial valve is placed in the aortic valve through the femoral artery (the large artery in the groin) using a long catheter, with no large surgical incision in the chest. Once the new valve is expanded, the tissue in the replacement valve regulates blood flow from the heart to the body. The procedure is for people with aortic valve stenosis who have decided that open-heart valve replacement surgery is not for them. 

Community Memorial has the most experienced structural heart program in Ventura County. Structural heart specialists at Community Memorial have performed more than 500 TAVR procedures and more than 600 WATCHMAN implants. 

Learn more about structural heart disease treatment at Community Memorial at mycmh.org.heart.  

Community Memorial Healthcare is a nonprofit, independent health system serving the needs of Ventura County, California. It is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura, Community Memorial Hospital – Ojai, and a network of primary and specialty care health centers across its service area. The organization is supported by the Community Memorial Foundation and the Ojai Valley Hospital Foundation. Visit mycmh.org for more information. 

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