The Deborah Heart and Lung Center announced today that Edmund Karam, MD, was recently named to the Stereotaxis ‘Century Club’, recognizing the top robotic ablation experts throughout the United States. There are currently only 11 electrophysiologists from the United States on this prestigious list. Dr. Karam is an expert in the use of the region’s only Stereotaxis Remote Navigation System, which delivers a flexible, robotically delivered catheter to destroy small areas of heart tissue responsible for arrhythmias. Dr. Karam is an attending electrophysiologist at Deborah Heart and Lung, and has performed robotic ablations since 2009, having completed well over 100 procedures on the system.

Stereotaxis’s advanced computer-controlled technology allows physicians to treat common and complex cardiac arrhythmias with a great degree of safety, precision, and efficiency. The physician uses sophisticated software to draw a highly detailed 3D map of the diseased cardiac tissue, and drive powerful magnets positioned near the patient. Following the map, the magnets lead a soft catheter gently through the patient’s cardiac anatomy by guiding the catheter’s magnetic tip. As a result, the patient is exposed to up to 60% less damaging X-ray radiation. There’s also a 10x less chance of chance of major complications such as perforation of the heart.

“This is one of many cutting edge technologies available at a comprehensive cardiac center like Deborah,” said Dr. Karam. “We’ve been able to make tremendous advances, achieving unparalleled levels of success and safety for our patients.”

More than five million people in the United States currently suffer from abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias, affecting about 2.6 million people in the United States. People with this condition are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke, and also may suffer from permanent damage to the heart, such as congestive heart failure and dilated heart chambers. A growing number of complex cardiac interventional procedures are driving the need for new technology that enables physicians to confidently treat areas of the heart previously unreachable or potentially unsafe with manual techniques.

back home