Ed Peterson is no stranger to heart trouble. Three years ago, doctors placed stents in his heart to treat blockages. Then, in 2009, his heart began to flutter and skip beats, and he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Medication didn’t help, and neither did an effort to regulate his heartbeat using a cardiac fibrillator. Ed’s cardiologist, Dr. Robert Fleming, referred him to Reid Hospital electrophysiologist Xinqiang Han, M.D., to discuss cardiac ablation.
Cardiac ablation is a procedure that helps hearts return to a more normal rhythm. It takes place in the cardiac catheterization lab and involves inserting a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) into the heart. A special machine delivers energy through the catheter to tiny areas of the heart muscle that cause the abnormal heart rhythm. This energy “disconnects” the pathway of the abnormal rhythm.
Dr. Han is one of only 300 cardiac ablation specialists nationwide. If appropriate, he can use Reid Hospital’s innovative second generation Sensei® X Robotic Catheter System, which offers accurate and stable catheter control.
“Dr. Han is fantastic,” says Ed, who underwent cardiac ablation in June 2010. “After the procedure, it took a few months for things to improve — just like Dr. Han said it would. But now, my heart is back in rhythm and I’m doing great.”
Ed also had high praise for others involved with the procedure. “They explained everything that was going to happen,” he says. “They were friendly, compassionate, patient and humorous, which really put me at ease.”
Dr. Han recently told Ed that he can return to his active lifestyle, which includes working out at the YMCA three times a week. “This community is blessed to have Dr. Han and the whole cardiac department at Reid,” he says. “We don’t have to go to another city for excellent care, because we have a group of terrific doctors right here in Richmond. I’d recommend them to anyone.”
For more information about the Reid Heart and Vascular Center, call (765) 983-3255.
