The electrophysiology team at Banner Health is prepared to diagnose and treat your heart’s electrical system with a comprehensive array of options. From heart rhythm disorders to irregular heartbeats, no matter your symptoms, Banner Health’s heart specialists offer the support and options that are right for you.
Learn more about the electrophysiology studies and treatments Banner Health has to offer.
Electrophysiology is the study of your heart’s electrical system. An electrophysiology study is a low-risk procedure done to detect if your heart is beating irregularly. Improper heart beats that are uneven, too fast or too slow, also called Atrial fibrillation (Afib), Bradycardia, Tachycardia and Ventricular tachycardia, can be detected and corrected. This study helps show the electrical activity that occurs in the body and heart. It can also be used if a patient is already on medication for heart rhythm conditions to help determine the medication’s effectiveness and if additional intervention is needed.
As you are preparing for your electrophysiology study, it’s important to discuss any medications you are currently taking with your doctor. Your doctor and heart team will walk you through the process of the study as well as any treatments they may do, such as heart ablation.
Prior to the procedure, your doctor will let you know how long before surgery to stop eating and drinking. It’s also important to ensure a family member or friend will be able to drop you off and pick you up after the procedure because local anesthesia may be administered.
During an electrophysiology study, your doctor will use technologies such as the Genesis system or perform a heart ablation to destroy and scar the portion of tissue that is causing the heart arrhythmia.
Sedation or anesthesia may be administered while the electrophysiology study is performed simultaneously with the heart ablation procedure. Your doctor will insert a catheter into the blood vessel in the groin that will travel toward the heart. This catheter will send different electrical waves and signals to the heart and record the activity to detect any arrhythmias.
Based on the findings of your electrophysiology study, your doctor will be able to recommend the right care path for you. Treatment options may include:
Your doctor will discuss next steps and options for treatment, if treatment was not completed during your procedure.
An electrophysiology study is an outpatient procedure. Following your procedure, your doctor will discuss your recovery and may recommend a few days of rest at home.
Banner Health also offers home monitoring for heart program patients. At-home monitoring allows your doctor to track your recovery and ensure you have the support you need after a procedure.
While the electrophysiology study is a low-risk procedure, it’s important to be aware of some of the associated risks. Your doctor will discuss risks with you prior to your study. The nurse or anesthesiologist will keep you comfortable throughout the procedure, but if at any time you begin to feel dizzy or uncomfortable during the procedure, alert your doctor immediately. You may experience bruising or slight bleeding where the catheter is inserted.
Banner Health provides the leading treatment options for electrophysiology patients, including non-surgical options. Additionally, our program supports patients who have had a previously unsuccessful ablation procedure and may need a revision.
Your team of electrophysiologists, physician assistants, nurses and technicians are here to help you throughout this process. Not only is your team dedicated to helping you get back to a healthy life, but Banner Health is using the top technology, such as the Genesis system, to ensure low risk procedures. This technology is also used to show the mapping of the electrical signals the heart is putting out to detect exactly where the electric signals are going.
The Banner Health Electrophysiology Lab features state of the art Stereotaxis robotic technology called the Genesis system. This system is the second system in the world to be utilized and offered. Using this system provides robotic precision and increased safety to heart ablation, a common, minimally invasive procedure to treat arrhythmias. This system provides the benefits and reliability of robotic magnetic navigation in a highly innovative architecture that is faster, smaller, lighter and more flexible.
Talk to your doctor if you believe an electrophysiology study may be right for you or to learn more about our program.
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