On Dec. 22, 2011, the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David’s Medical Center completed its first robotic cardiac ablation procedure with the Stereotaxis Epoch™ Platform for complex cardiac arrhythmias. The Epoch Platform is a state-of-the-art computer-controlled robotic navigation system that allows physicians to safely navigate in a patient’s heart to ablate diseased tissue that is causing cardiac arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. TCAI is the first facility in Central Texas and is among the first in the world to use this technology.

More than five million people in the United States currently suffer from abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias. Those who suffer from these abnormal heart rhythms are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke or experience more permanent damage to the heart. A growing number of complex cardiac interventional procedures is driving the need for new technology that enables physicians to confidently treat areas of the heart previously unreachable or potentially unsafe with manual techniques.

J. David Burkhardt, M.D., F.H.R.S., F.A.C.C., cardiac electrophysiologist at TCAI and the chief medical advisor to Stereotaxis, performed the robotic ablation procedure to treat a patient who had an overwhelming burden of abnormal beats from the bottom chamber of the heart, causing debilitating symptoms and reducing the strength of the heart’s contraction.

“This technology upgrade improves the efficiency of a platform that optimizes patient safety and allows for precise navigation in difficult cases,” Dr. Burkhardt said.

Epoch’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. Epoch also provides real-time collaboration for physicians. Additionally, the physician operates the technology from a separate room or workstation, using two powerful magnets to guide the catheter. As a result, less contrast medium and X-ray is used for the patient.


“Every day, new technologies are paving the way for better outcomes and improved quality of life for heart patients,” Andrea Natale, M.D., F.H.R.S., F.A.C.C., F.E.S.C., cardiac electrophysiologist and executive medical director of TCAI, said. “At TCAI, we continuously strive to reach higher standards of excellence in care, and we are committed to providing the most state-of-the art tools to allow doctors to find and treat problems quickly, efficiently and safely using the least invasive methods.”

For more information about TCAI’s use of Epoch, please visit TCAInstitute.com/our-technology.aspx.