MemorialCare’s Heart & Vascular Institute Providing Modern Cardiac Care in Orange County

By: Paul Drury, associate medical director of electrophysiology at the

Understandably, it’s scary when you find out you have a serious heart condition but with the next generation of technology in cardiac procedures, the process is far less daunting for patients than it was years ago.

The MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Saddleback Medical Center is one of the leading hospitals in the country with physicians specializing in advanced, minimally invasive heart and vascular procedures. Its renowned cardiac specialists utilize innovative techniques that allow patients to benefit from fewer complications, less scarring, greater comfort, and faster recoveries.

Selecting specialists to treat your heart and vascular disease or condition is an important decision to make. Some of the most advanced yet minimally invasive heart procedures o ered by the team of dedicated specialists at Saddleback include:

Catheter ablation with mapping – Catheter ablation is a non-surgical technique used to pinpoint and interrupt specific abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). State-of-the-art mapping is also used to generate 3-D images of the heart’s chambers locating the area causing the arrhythmia. These techniques provide patients with less time under anesthesia, quicker recovery and less risk.

The WATCHMAN™ – The first of its kind alternative treatment for AFib. The WATCHMAN device is used to reduce stroke risk without the need for medication. Over time, heart tissue grows over the device, and becomes a permanent part of the body. The only option for patients prior to the WATCHMAN implant was open heart surgery. Saddleback is one of the largest volume performers of WATCHMAN implantations in Orange County.

Leadless pacemakers – Leads are electrical wires insulated with silicon or polyurethane which connect a pacemaker or defibrillator to the heart chambers. Leadless pacemakers are inserted into a vein in the leg and then moved up into the heart. For reference, they are half of the size of a AAA battery with no scarring or visible lump on the chest typical of a traditional pacemaker. Patients benefit from the convenience of a same day procedure or one day hospital stay at most.

Patients with severe heart conditions are often hesitant to seek care and live with severe symptoms which could possibly lead to a stroke. The latest advancements in cardiac procedures have allowed us to help a new spectrum of patients.

Our team performs hundreds of these innovative procedures a year and can greatly improve a person’s quality of life and reduce future complications. Today, patients have far more options available to them that are less invasive and have a high success rate. We are proud to be helping and improving the lives of residents in Southern California.

Interested to learn more? Visit MemorialCare.org/heart.