Ablation/Live

[Guest guest]

Brigham and Women's Hospital Opens Virtual Doors to Electrophysiology Lab

BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/19/2004 -- On Thursday, February 26 at 4:30

p.m. EST, web users can log on as web cameras take viewers live into the

electrophysiology laboratory at Brigham and Women's Hospital for the latest in a

series of live webcast programs intended to bring advances in treatment to

health care professionals and the public.

http://www.or-live.com/brighamandwomens/1170.

Dr. ce M. Epstein, Chief of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Brigham and

Women's Hospital, will perform a catheter ablation procedure for atrial

fibrillation (AF) -- the most common cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.

AF affects over two million Americans and is typically not life-threatening,

causing symptoms (including sudden heart pounding, dizziness, chest discomfort)

and significant quality-of-life issues that can change the way the patient lives

their day-to-day life -- such as limiting physical activity because of fatigue

or fear of damage to their heart or other cardiac event.

Catheter ablation, the procedure Dr. Epstein will perform, is a minimally

invasive procedure that involves the percutaneous insertion of catheters into

the heart to modify or possibly cure cardiac rhythm disturbances. The procedure

selectively eliminates the heart cells that are causing the irregular heartbeat

through the use of radiofrequency electrical energy delivered by the catheters

that are positioned in the heart.

During the webcast, Dr. G. son, MD, Director of the Clinical

Cardiac Electrophysiology Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital, will assist

Dr. Epstein by providing narration throughout the procedure and answering

e-mails from web viewers.

With the aging of the US population, it is expected to become an epidemic.

Physicians will be increasingly asked to treat patients with this condition. New

understandings of the mechanisms underlying atrial fibrillation have led to new

treatment options, including curative procedures. Many physicians are unaware of

this treatment option and others are interested in learning more about its role

in treating these patients. This webcast will address the needs of physicians to

understand the role of catheter ablation treatment of atrial fibrillation. It

will provide an overview of the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation, and

treatment alternatives. Physicians will learn about catheter ablation including:

patient selection, risks and benefits, and post procedural care.

This one-hour program is CME accredited with Harvard Medical School, and the

exam must be taken within 24 hours from the broadcast start time. A preview

video is available at:

http://www.OR-Live.com/brighamandwomens/1170/rams/vnr.ram.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/19/04 8:12:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, failteg@...

writes:

> Brigham and Women's Hospital Opens Virtual Doors to Electrophysiology Lab

>

Thanks for the heads up Ellen. I'm going to tune in. It will be interesting

to see what I went through.

With the aging of the " Baby Boomers " , our board will probably double by the

end of the year. Don't be suprised!

Rich O