Erlanger Cardiology completed the first in Chattanooga concomitant left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) and cardiac ablation for atrial fibrillation (AFib) on Nov. 23.
Officials said, "This is an optimized approach to complete treatment by performing the two procedures – LAAC and cardiac ablation – at one time. LAAC is indicated to reduce the risk of stroke related to AFib and allows patient to come off blood thinners. Undergoing ablation for AFib allows patients to eliminate the symptoms of atrial fibrillation that can significantly impact quality of life.
"Streamlining the patient care to a single procedure allows for increased efficiency, reduced recovery time, and provides comprehensive care for the patients managing both an arrhythmia and stroke risk all with a single procedure. This new offering is a result of an insurance adjustment which now covers the combined procedures when both are performed by a single physician on the same patient during the same operative session."
Chief of Cardiology Dr. Harish Manyam said, “We are proud that the Atrial Fibrillation Center at Erlanger has advanced the ability to now do both a left atrial appendage closure and an ablation together, offering total care for patients in atrial fibrillation during the same procedure.”
"AFib is currently estimated to affect seven million Americans, and it leads to a five times greater risk of stroke due to clots forming in the left atrial appendage," officials said.