ADVANCED STRUCTURAL PROCEDURES

Dr. Omid Fatemi

Dr. Fatemi performs more advanced procedures within our structural heart program. Dr. Fatemi is the Director for the Structural Heart Department at Community Memorial Hospital and St. John’s Regional Medical Center.

These procedures include:

TAVR
WATCHMAN
AORTIC VALVULOPLASTY		 MITRAL CLIP
PFO CLOSURE
ASD CLOSURE

TAVR

TAVR, which stands for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat a type of heart valve disease called aortic stenosis.

WATCHMAN

The Watchman Procedure is among the newest procedures available to prevent A-fib related stroke.

AORTIC VALVULOPLASTY

Aortic Valvuloplasty also known as balloon aortic valvotomy is the widening of a stenotic aortic valve using a balloon catheter inside the valve. The balloon is placed into the aortic valve that has become stiff from calcium buildup.

MITRAL CLIP

Mitraclip is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small clip to repair a damaged mitral valve, specifically treating mitral regurgitation, where blood leaks backward through the valve. This procedure offers a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for individuals with mitral valve disease, particularly those who may be at high risk for or not eligible for surgery

PFO CLOSURE

Percutaneous closure is a surgical procedure used to treat patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defect (ASD). Advancements in device technology and image guidance now permit the safe and effective catheter-based closure of numerous intracardiac defects, including PFO and ASD.

Dr. Omid Fatemi performs PFO Closures at Community Memorial Hospital.

ASD CLOSURE

ASD CLOSURE – Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) is an opening or hole in the wall that separates the two upper chambers of the heart. This wall is called the atrial septum. The hole causes oxygen-rich blood to leak from the left side of the heart to the right side. Different types of closure devices are used to close a hole or an opening between the right and left sides of the heart. Some of these birth defects are located in the wall (septum) between the upper chambers (atria) of the heart: Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Atrial Septal Defect (ASD).

Dr. Omid Fatemi performs these ASD Closures at Community Memorial Hospital.

ADVANCED ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY PROCEDURES

Dr. Jonathan Dukes

Dr. Matthew Hakimi

Dr. Jonathan Dukes, and Dr. Matthew Hakimi, Cardiac Electrophysiology Physicians, provide the most advanced evaluations, treatments and procedures for atrial fibrillation (AFib) and other circuitry issues to Ventura County residents. Dr. Dukes is the Director of Electrophysiology at Community Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Jonathan Dukes, and Dr. Matthew Hakimi specialize in complex ablations and are accepting new patients for first-time evaluations and new patients seeking to have a redo ablation.

Advanced Electrophysiology procedures include:

WATCHMAN
ABLATION
AFib ABLATION ATRIAL FLUTTER ABLATION		 SVT ABLATION
VT ABLATION
PVC (Premature Ventricular Contraction)
PULSE FIELD ABLATION

WATCHMAN

The WATCHMAN procedure is a minimally invasive cardiac procedure that involves implanting a device to close the left atrial appendage (LAA) in the heart, reducing the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). This procedure is performed by an electrophysiologist or interventional cardiologist in a catheter lab under general anesthesia.

ABLATION

EP ablations, or electrophysiological ablations, involve using various energies to create scars in the heart tissue to block abnormal electrical signals causing arrhythmias. The two main types are radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which uses heat, and cryoablation, which uses extreme cold. Other methods include pulsed field ablation (PFA), laser ablation, and surgical ablation.

AFib ABLATION

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) ablation is a treatment that uses heat or cold energy to create scars in the heart, blocking irregular electrical signals that cause AFib. This procedure is used to treat and prevent AFib, a type of irregular and often very fast heartbeat.

ATRIAL FLUTTER ABLATION

Atrial flutter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat atrial flutter, a type of rapid, irregular heart rhythm. It involves using a catheter and energy (heat or cold) to create scar tissue in the heart, blocking the abnormal electrical signals that cause the flutter. The procedure has a high success rate, with most patients returning to a normal heart rhythm.

SVT ABLATION

SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) ablation is a procedure that uses a catheter to burn or freeze tissue in the heart that’s causing rapid, irregular heartbeats. It’s a common and effective treatment for SVT, with high success rates and minimal risks.

VT ABLATION

VT ablation, or ventricular tachycardia ablation, is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat certain fast, erratic heartbeats called ventricular tachycardia (VT). The goal is to restore a normal heart rhythm by scarring or damaging the heart tissue that’s causing the abnormal electrical signals.

PVC (Premature Ventricular Contraction)

PVC (premature ventricular contraction) ablation is a minimally invasive procedure where a catheter is used to pinpoint and destroy the area of the heart causing PVCs, often using radiofrequency ablation or pulsed field ablation. It’s a treatment option for PVCs that are frequent, symptomatic, or resistant to medication.

PULSE FIELD ABLATION

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a newer, non-thermal method for treating heart arrhythmias, specifically atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to a clinical study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Instead of using heat or freezing like traditional ablation, PFA uses short bursts of high-energy electrical pulses to disrupt the heart tissue causing the arrhythmia. This method aims to achieve pulmonary vein isolation, with less collateral damage to surrounding tissues.