Korea’s only and the best hybrid treatment that cures arrhythmia Professor Dong seop Jeong, Department of Thoracic Surgery
Increasing full recovery through arrhythmia surgery using thoracoscope!
Arrhythmia is a symptom wherein the atrium irregularly beats because there is an abnormality in the electrical system of the heart. In particular, atrial fibrillation occurs when electrical signals from various areas of the heart become out of control , colliding and nullifying one another. Also, if the atrial muscle does not contract right, blood coagulates easily. As this coagulated blood can go into brain vessels and cause stroke, atrial fibrillation requires active treatment. We introduce Professor Dong seop Jung from the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Samsung Medical Center, the lead behind the latest atrial fibrillation treatment.
• Among the treatments of atrial fibrillation such as pharmacotherapy, radiofrequency catheter ablation/cryoablation, and surgical treatment, Professor Dong Sub Jeong is in charge of “thoracoscopic atrial fibrillation surgery.” According to him, “This surgery makes a small hole without making a cut in the heart. Also, inserting the thoracoscopic machine into the hole requires high skill. However, it has a good treatment effect and induces quick recovery. The important thing is how proficient a physician who performs the surgery is.”
Professor Jeong of Samsung Medical Center performs hybrid treatment that combines surgical method and medical procedure. Also, it induces less pain with a fast recovery period and high recovery rate by removing all the outside and inside areas of the heart that causes arrhythmia.
While performing comprehensive surgeries on the heart valve, coronary artery, heart tumor, pericardial disease, etc., Professor Jeong exerts particular effort and passion on arrhythmia surgery. With his hybrid treatment getting good results, arrhythmia patients can have a bigger hope to achieve a cure.
Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
Hope of chronic atrial fibrillation patients having little chance of full recovery—innovative arrhythmia treatment
What is Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation Ablation?
It is the latest hybrid treatment method that combines surgery and medical procedure. While the heart is beating, a thoracoscope is inserted to the outside of the heart, and the area that causes arrhythmia is ablated with radiofrequency. Radiofrequency catheter ablation, a medical procedure, is subsequently done inside of the heart so that all the areas that cause arrhythmia from the inside and outside of the heart are removed. It is a surgical method that has the highest full recovery rate.
• Object : Atrial fibrillation patient with a medical history of stroke, chronic atrial fibrillation patient with high risk of stroke or recurrence, patient experiencing recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation .
• What is arrhyth-mia? : Because of abnormality in the electrical system of the heart, the heart does not beat regularly. It is a serious disease that causes the heart to beat too fast, slow, or irregularly, which can result in chronic tiredness, heart failure, or even stroke.
Advantage of the Procedure of Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
Compared to the previous surgery that requires the heart to be stopped, it is the latest surgical method that is performed while the heart is still beating. As such, surgery time is reduced, and stability is improved. As it is performed while seeing the heart directly through a thoracoscope, it has the highest success rate among arrhythmic procedures with a low recurrence rate.
The cut area is small so that scar is also small. Pain is light and recovery is fast after surgery. Surgery lasts for about two hours, and the average admission period is about four to five days. As there is no drug (warfarin) required to be taken after surgery, the quality of the patient’s life is significantly improved by enabling daily activities such as exercise, etc.
Unique Differences of SMC
Since Korea’s first successful surgery in February 2012, the largest number of cases have been performed in Samsung Medical Center. Moreover, Samsung Medical Center is the only hospital in Korea where hybrid surgeries have been successfully performed.
The success rate of hybrid surgery largely depends on the proficiency of the physician. Many cases have been performed in SMC for a short time, and it is the world’s best in both the number of surgery cases and the proficiency of physicians. Professor Dong Sub Jeong of the Cardiovascular Center, who leads hybrid surgery, was selected for the Graham Foundation Fellowship program. Every year, this program offers talented physicians selected by the American Association For Thoracic Surgery from all over the world with a training opportunity in American hospitals. Also, he was invited to various international conferences, thus introducing the medical level of SMC to many physicians all over the world. In addition, SMC has the Korea’s best cardiac resynchronization therapy and ventricular arrhythmia procedure.
Outcome
Accumulated no. of surgery cases and Heart beat maintenance rate
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► JEONG,DONG SEOP M.D, Ph.D
TITLES
Associate Professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
SPECIALTY INTERESTS
Adult Cardiac Surgery, Heart valve surgery, Off pump coronary artery bypass
Minimally invasive cardiac surgery, Mechanical assist device, Arrhythmia surgery
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation, Heart and Heart-Lung transplantation
MEDICAL SCHOOL
Seoul National University College of Medicine
MILESTONES ON SURGICAL HISTORY
2012 Performed the Hybrid Atrial Fibrillation Ablation a first in South Korea
2013 Performed the Live surgery (totally thoracoscopic ablation) a first in Asia
2016 Performed the most cases of thoracoscopic ablation in South Korea (200 cases)
