Replay of: Catheter Ablation- A nonsurgical procedure to treat atrial fibrillation

First Seen Live Webcast: Tuesday, April 5, 2005, 4pm CT, 5pm ET (21:00 UTC)

Saint Joseph's Hospital and Marshfield Clinic

Marshfield, WI- Arrhythmias are among the most common disorders of the heart. On April 5 from 4 - 5 p.m. CDT, Marshfield Clinic Electrophysiologists on staff at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, Wisconsin, demonstrated to an Internet audience a nonsurgical procedure to treat atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia.

The procedure, known as a catheter ablation, was performed on patients with specific types of atrial fibrillation. John Hayes, MD, Chair of Cardiology for Marshfield Clinic and Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, performed an electrophysiology study followed by the ablation. Peter Smith, MD, assisted with the procedure. Humberto Vidaillet, MD, and Param Sharma, MD, provided additional commentary during the broadcast. All are Electrophysiologists at Marshfield Clinic and Saint Joseph's Hospital.

In 2004, Marshfield Clinic interventional cardiologists on staff at Saint Joseph's Hospital performed more than 3,550 diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures and more than 950 procedures to diagnose and treat arrhythmias, including ablations and placements of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and pacemakers. Electrophysiology is part of the comprehensive heart care program available in Marshfield. Physicians on staff also specialize in pediatric cardiology, women and heart disease as well as minimally invasive options for the treatment of heart disease. For the third consecutive year, Saint Joseph's has been named by Solucient as one of the nation's top 100 hospitals for heart care. Being chosen as a top 100 hospital means fewer complications and better survival rates for heart patients receiving care at the Marshfield center.

Saint Joseph's Hospital is a 500-plus bed tertiary care teaching institution. As the largest rural referral medical center in Wisconsin, it provides health care, including all major medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties, to an ever-increasing service area in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Saint Joseph's Hospital, a member of Ministry Health Care, was founded more than 110 years ago by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother.

Marshfield Clinic, founded in 1916 in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an integrated health care delivery system consisting of 38 patient care, research and education facilities throughout Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States. Marshfield Clinic has over 730 physicians representing over 83 specialty and sub specialty medical services. The system also includes Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, the largest private not-for-profit medical research foundation in Wisconsin and one of the largest in the nation; Marshfield Laboratories; Marshfield Clinic Education Foundation; and Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc., a health maintenance organization owned by Marshfield Clinic.