Electrophysiology: Understanding Arrhythmias Diagnosing Arrhythmias Treating Arrhythmias The Emory Atrial Fibrillation Program Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation

The Emory University Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) section provides inpatient and outpatient services at its two major hospitals, Emory Crawford Long Hospital and Emory University Hospital. Cardiac electrophysiologists also provide consultative services at satellites in Columbus, Athens, Hiawassee, Toccoa and Gainesville, Georgia. The cardiac EP service at the Emory Crawford Long campus includes the invasive EP Laboratory, the inpatient hospital service, the outpatient Arrhythmia Clinic, the Arrhythmia Center/Pacemaker Clinic, and the EP clinical research team. Facilities at the Emory Campus include the inpatient hospital service and the cardiac EP laboratory at Emory Hospital. The Emory Clinic provides outpatient consultation and pacemaker/defibrillator follow-up services.

Emory Crawford Long Hospital Electrophysiology
Angel R. Leon, MD, David B. DeLurgio, MD

The physicians and staff of the EP Lab at Emory Crawford Long Hospital (Judy Mitchell, RN, Director) perform over 1600 invasive procedures yearly. Procedures include 500 diagnostic EP studies, 300 catheter ablations of various arrhythmias, 100 cardioversions, 400 permanent pacemaker and 200 automatic defibrillator implants. The laboratory has two procedure suites dedicated to EP studies and surgical device implantation. The EP lab equipment includes a novel computerized non-contact balloon mapping system (Ensite 3000) to assist ablation of complex arrhythmia. The laboratory also performs pacemaker and defibrillator lead extractions using an excimer laser system.

The inpatient service at Emory Crawford Long Hospital utilizes the coronary care and telemetry units to monitor and treat patients with heart rhythm disorders. Treatment includes implantable devices and administration of antiarrhythmic medications. The service admits over 500 patients and provides over 700 inpatient consultations yearly.

The Clinical Research Team consists of EP physicians and nurse coordinators at the Carlyle Fraser Heart Center (Kris Mohring, RN, Jackie Underwood, RN, Christine VanHorn, RN, Nicole VanHouten, RN). The team participates in national clinical research trials and also coordinates internal research protocols at Emory Crawford Long Hospital and the Arrhythmia Clinic.

The redevelopment project at Emory Crawford Long Hospital will house new facilities for the expanded EP laboratory, Arrhythmia Center, and Arrhythmia Center and the Clinical Research Team. Construction of the new Outpatient Treatment Center was completed in 2003.

Emory University Hospital
Jonathan Langberg, MD, Paul F. Walter, MD

Paul F. Walter, MD established the invasive EP at Emory University Hospital as the first of its kind in Georgia, and one of the first in the Southeast. The Emory Hospital EP laboratory staff (Nancy Winn, RN, Director) performs over 1,200 procedures yearly. Facilities include a procedure room designed for invasive catheter studies and a surgical suite for pacemaker and ICD implants. The laboratory performs over 300 diagnostic EP studies, 200 catheter ablation procedures, 250 pacemaker and 100 ICD implants, and over 300 cardioversions yearly. The EP staff also performs pacemaker lead extractions and over 150 tilt table tests.

The inpatient arrhythmia service at Emory University Hospital admits over 500 patients yearly for the treatment of heart rhythm disorders. EP Physicians provide inpatient consultation at Emory University Hospital. Inpatient treatment areas include the telemetry units and the coronary care unit. The medical staff also supervises the hospital-wide arrhythmia monitoring telemetry system.

The Emory Clinic provides outpatient consultation services in cardiac electrophysiology at its location adjacent to Emory University Hospital. Physicians follow a large volume of established patients with heart rhythm disorders. The Emory Clinic Pacemaker Service (Nancy Romeiko, RN, Director) regularly follows over 1600 patients with pacemakers and 500 patients with ICDs. Pacemaker Services personnel provide educational support as well as technical expertise in the care of patients with implanted arrhythmia control devices.

The Clinical Research Team at Emory University Hospital consists of EP physicians and the nurse coordinator (Sheila Heeke, RN). The Team also participates in national clinical research trials in conjunction with Emory Crawford Long Hospital.

Satellite Electrophysiology Clinics
David B. DeLurgio, MD, Jonathan Langberg, MD, Angel R. Leon, MD, Paul F. Walter, MD

• David B. DeLurgio, MD, provides consultative and procedural services at St. Francis Hospital and The Medical Center in Columbus, Georgia. Procedures include diagnostic EP study, catheter ablation, and ICD implantation.
• Jonathan J. Langberg, MD, staffs a clinic in Hiawassee to provide consultative outpatient services.
• Angel R. Leon, MD provides regular ICD follow-up services at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, and, along with Paul F. Walter, MD, provides ICD follow-up at Athens Cardiology in Athens, Georgia.
• Paul F. Walter, MD also staffs a clinic in Toccoa, Georgia.

Satellite ICD clinics provide follow-up care for patients in areas with traditional referral relationships to Emory. Patients need not travel to Atlanta for scheduled visits to have their devices checked. The Emory EP team remains committed to expanding satellite activities to assist referring physicians and patients in the northern Georgia area.