First Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Performed at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital

Henry Ford Health System Brings Effective Arrhythmia Procedure to Macomb County

Clinton Township, Mich. – To bring world-class heart care closer to home, Henry Ford Heart & Vascular Institute cardiologists performed the first atrial fibrillation ablation procedure at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in December 2018.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Madar Abed, an electrophysiologist. Atrial fibrillation is a malfunction of the heart’s electrical system that causes an irregular heartbeat, which increases the risk of stroke or heart failure.

“With the use of advanced ablation catheters that decrease the risk of complications, we are able to perform atrial fibrillation ablation at minimal risk with excellent outcomes. In fact, ablation has become the number one choice for treatment of atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. Ali Shakir, Medical Director of Electrophysiology at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital. “We are pleased to provide this cutting-edge procedure to our community through the Heart & Vascular Institute at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.”

During an ablation procedure, cardiologists access the heart through a vein in the leg. They use an electrified wire to ‘burn’ tiny areas of the heart experiencing electrical malfunction, rendering them obsolete. After the procedure, those areas no longer affect the patient’s heartbeat, so it returns to normal.

Symptoms of an atrial fibrillation generally include heart palpitations, fatigue and shortness of breath. Medication has many potential side effects and does not cure the disease. An atrial fibrillation ablation provides significant relief of these symptoms and a better overall quality of life.

“With technological advances, we can now correct electrical short circuits that we couldn’t just 10 years ago,” said Dr. Sam Kazziha, Chief of Cardiovascular Services at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital. “Our brand-new electrophysiology lab is equipped with state-of-the art technology, including a 3-D mapping system to accurately map the source of the atrial fibrillation and perform successful ablations.”

Atrial fibrillation ablation is one of a variety of electrophysiology services offered at Henry Ford Macomb. Others include pacemaker implant and cardiac defibrillator implant to prevent sudden cardiac death and treatment of congestive heart failure.

Henry Ford Macomb Hospital’s electrophysiology team of physicians include Dr. Madar Abed, Dr. Ali Shakir and Dr. Waddah Maskoun. To request an appointment or for a second opinion, please call (800) 532-2411.

Media Contact:
Michelle Fusco
586-263-2891
MFusco1@hfhs.org