If you've ever felt your heart flip flop, skip a beat or feel like it's banging against your chest wall, it could be signs of atrial fibrillation. 

NFL coach Jim Harbaugh knows the feeling all too well. Coaching his San Diego Chargers on October 13, Harbaugh left the sidelines during the first quarter of the Chargers win against the Denver Broncos with arrhythmia, also known as an irregular heartbeat.  An arrhythmia is when the heart beats too fast, too slowly, or is out of sync. Symptoms include palpitations, low blood pressure, shortness of breath and fatigue.

Harbaugh has had similar episodes in the past. He's had a cardiac ablation procedure and says he may need another one for his current situation. 

Cardiac ablation is a procedure where thin wires called catheters are threaded into a blood vessel from the groin and guided to the heart. Radiofrequency (heat) or cryotherapy (cold) treatment is used to destroy the cells causing the arrhythmia. Once the abnormal electrical signals are interrupted the normal heart rhythm can take over again.

Farhad Farokhi, DO, is an adult cardiac electrophysiologist with the OSF Cardiovascular Institute, who treats patients with Afib on a daily basis. He says medication can be the first line of defense when it comes to treating Afib, but sometimes medication doesn’t work or cardiac ablation may be deemed the most effective method of treatment.

Dr. Farokhi says the procedure has become more common among both men and women, even children who experience Afib.

“The first thing we do is talk to the patient, get a history and see what kind of symptoms the patient experiences, and then document the abnormal rhythm with an EKG or longer-term heart rhythm monitors," says Dr. Farokhi. "We look at 24 hours, 48 hours to one week, two weeks or a month to document what kind of rhythm the patient has, and then we can correlate the rhythm with their symptoms. Then we can prescribe medications, or we can discuss and consider the option of cardiac ablation.”

A successful outcome depends on the type of arrhythmia, any abnormality within the heart chamber, the patient’s age and other irregularities the patient may have such as congestive heart failure or high blood pressure.

Within a few weeks after surgery, the patient should experience significant improvement.

“The patient will feel better, they won’t have as much palpitation or fatigue, or shortness of breath," says Dr. Farokhi. "The heart will function more efficiently and long term the patient is going to feel better and have less chance of having heart rhythm issues or other heart complications. There is a significant benefit in terms of a patient’s ability to exercise, having a better lifestyle and being on fewer medications.”

The procedure takes anywhere from one to three hours. With any procedure there are potential risks including bleeding, infection and blood clots.

According to Dr. Farokhi, advancement in technology has also helped improve the cardiac ablation procedure.

“Technology has significantly changed. We now have very sophisticated mapping systems and ablations to treat abnormal rhythms. And it is very promising that in the near future, we can do very complex, abnormal rhythms with almost no risk of complications.”

Dr. Farokhi adds that if you experience any heart-related symptoms, do not delay and seek help immediately. That's what Harbaugh did. He left the sidelines and was checked out by medical staff before returning to the game. Now, he will wear a heart monitor for the next two weeks. 

“When patients experience palpitations or abnormal sensations in their chest they should seek medical attention, talk to a doctor and do not minimize their symptoms because with any abnormal rhythm if they're diagnosed earlier, and treated earlier, you have a higher success rate with less chance of complications," adds Dr. Farokhi. 

For more information, visit OSF HealthCare. 


 

Interview Clips 

A brand-new technology is available for Chicago area patients living with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib).

FARAPULSE is an FDA-approved cardiac ablation treatment, designed by Boston Scientific, to restore and regulate heartbeats and slow the progression of AFib. Now, it’s available in the newly opened Electrophysiology (EP) Lab within OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center.

It’s referred to as a pulsed field ablation, delivering energy to the cardiac tissue that doesn’t injure surrounding tissue.

“It’s completely selective to the cardiac myocytes we’re targeting to treat AFib,” says Dr. William Spear, the lead electrophysiologist at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Illinois. “You deliver the energy, which only takes two and a half seconds, and it targets just the cardiac cells you're focusing on, those abnormal cells that are causing the Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), and it leaves all the other cells around it untouched."

AFib is very common, affecting around 2.7 million Americans, according to the Delaware Journal of Public Health, with an estimated 160,000 new cases each year. Symptoms of AFib include shortness of breath, heart racing, or if you can’t do activities you used to be able to do. It’s when the normal rhythm of the heart is disrupted, and the top chamber of the heart, called the atrium, begins to quiver. When this happens, it makes the heart beat 300-400 times a minute and also results in a very rapid and irregular heartbeat in the bottom chamber, decreasing the efficiency of the heart pump. This can lead to blood stagnating in the upper chamber, then clots can form, leading to stroke, heart failure, or even death.

Dr. Spear calls the new FARAPULSE service “revolutionary.” He adds all the adjacent tissues like nerves, the esophagus or lungs, won’t be damaged in the procedure.

“For the last 20-30 years, the mainstay of ablation has been radio frequency. Radio frequency is very good, but it's more traumatic to the tissue because you're actually burning the tissue,” Dr. Spear says. “With pulsed field ablation, it really leaves the esophagus untouched. We can ablate around the esophagus where the heart meets the esophagus on the posterior side, without having to worry about this major complication which is called atrial esophageal fistula (AEF). This happens because we're not touching the esophagus, we're only touching cardiac tissue.”

Tracy Jendruczek, the Vice President of Surgical and Procedural Services at OSF Little Company of Mary, says FARAPULSE will help community members in nearby areas living with AFib.

“If patients are experiencing any heart concerns or issues they should see their medical provider. From there, a cardiologist will be able to determine if ablation is appropriate for them. If appropriate, FARAPULSE is just another technique to ablate, to help the heart beat normally,” Jendruczek says. “It's a safer technique in that it preserves tissue around the heart, compared to current techniques being used for ablation.”

“It's a very serious problem that faces millions and millions of patients,” Dr. Spear says. “As we age, it becomes more and more frequent. As you get into the 70–80-year range, about 20-25% of patients will develop atrial defibrillation at some point in their life. It's a very serious problem we face as a society, really.”

Dr. Spear notes that many individuals who have AFib are asymptomatic. He says this is a reminder to keep an eye on your overall health, speak with your medical provider, and schedule an appointment with a cardiologist if recommended by your primary care physician.

The FARAPULSE PFA procedure usually takes less than one hour and allows most patients the ability to return home that day.

Video Interview Clips

FARAPULSE BROLL

A new era of advanced cardiology care is on the horizon for patients at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Ill.

"As a cornerstone of this community for the past 90 years, we recognize the profound importance of providing comprehensive care to our heart and vascular patients. Collaborating closely with the esteemed team at Consultants in Cardiology & Electrophysiology, we've observed a growing demand for specialized treatment addressing electrical heart concerns," remarked Kathleen Kinsella, President of OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center. "In alignment with our unwavering commitment to serving our community, we have embarked on the development of a cutting-edge facility tailored specifically to address these evolving needs in cardiology."

Within our state-of-the-art electrophysiology (EP) lab, our expert physicians will harness precision equipment to diagnose and treat a spectrum of heart rhythm disorders. This dedicated space will feature top-tier technology from industry leaders such as Phillips, Biosense Webster, and Boston Scientific. Among the offerings will be the world's most advanced cardiac mapping systems, empowering our specialists to effectively manage complex heart arrhythmias, including Atrial Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachycardia.

"We are proud to unveil a world-class facility designed to address heart rhythm disorders with unparalleled precision and care," affirmed Dr. William Spear, lead electrophysiologist at OSF Little Company of Mary. "The introduction of advanced technology and equipment within this dedicated EP lab marks a transformative milestone in how we deliver care to our patients in the south suburbs."

These resources are indispensable to our community, as individuals experiencing abnormal heart rhythms may require timely intervention to mitigate risks and improve outcomes.

"In addition to the EP lab, we have established a dedicated prep and recovery area adjacent to the lab, ensuring seamless transition and immediate post-procedure care for our patients," noted Tracy Jendruczek, Vice President of Surgical and Procedural Services. “Depending on the procedure being performed and the patient’s overall status, a patient may have an overnight stay but our goal is to discharge patients the same day whenever possible."

This specialized lab will offer a comprehensive range of procedures, including ablation techniques and device interventions, all tailored to optimize heart rhythm management and enhance patient well-being.

Kathleen Kinsella Video Interview Clips

Tracy Jendruczek Video Interview Clips

Electrophysiology Lab B-Roll

Electrophysiology Lab images