You could be one of two million Americans who have atrial fibrillation (or an irregular heartbeat), which can lead to stroke, heart failure, and even death.

Now, nationally renowned Christie Clinic cardiologists Drs. Abe Kocheril and Subbiah Rajaguru are saving patients from a lifetime of medication by treating this condition at Provena Covenant Medical Center—the only hospital in Illinois outside of Chicago using state-of-the-art robotic technology for atrial fibrillation.

The Sensei® X Robotic-Assisted Cardiac Navigation System allows physicians access to areas of your heart that were previously difficult to reach during surgery, all while reducing your exposure to radiation.

“We are able to reach further into the heart with this new device because it allows us to place catheters with great precision and accuracy,” said Christie Clinic Physician and Medical Director of Electrophysiology at Provena Covenant Medical Center, Abraham G. Kocheril, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS. “The advanced navigation helps us to safely and effectively perform complex arrhythmia mapping procedures on our patients.”

Before Sensei Technology

Prior to the introduction of flexible robotic technology, the majority of electrophysiology procedures were done using a manual technique requiring physicians to perform a series of complex manipulations at one end of the catheter. As a result, achieving stable contact at every anatomic site within the heart necessary for a successful procedure could be difficult. In addition, because these procedures were performed in the electrophysiology lab, physicians would stand for hours wearing heavy lead vests to limit exposure to X-Rays when monitoring the catheter’s location in the patient.

The Sensei X® platform supports the CoHesion™ 3D Visualization Module, which integrates the 3D motion control of the Sensei X system with 3D visualization of the St. Jude Medical EnSite® system, and allows physicians to see the location of catheters within the heart in 3D.

Previously, two-dimensional technologies, such as fluoroscopy or ultrasound were used to assist physicians with guiding catheters inside the heart, which is a three-dimensional space. Combining the Sensei X and EnSite technologies is intended to provide physicians with 3D visualization that is expected to optimize control over placement of the catheter in specific locations.

After Sensei Technology

The new platform allows physicians to robotically control a catheter from a workstation, improving their technical capabilities during electrophysiology procedures. As a result, physicians have the ability to place catheters deliberately and accurately within the heart.

Make An Appointment

Ask your primary care physician or cardiologist if the Robotic-Assisted EP Navigation system is right for you. To make an appointment with Drs. Kocheril and Rajaguru, please call 366-1304.

Tags: adult health, cardiology, heart disease, blood vessels, mary stech, b.s. lakshmi, subbiah rajaguru, cheryl mangers, lawrence atherton, michael wingo