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Heart Devices: Pacemakers and ICDs —
Friday, June 26, 2009 - 12 noon (EST)
- Director of the Cardiac Pacing and Tachyarrhythmia Devices
- Cleveland Clinic Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
Over the last several years we have heard about the great strides in heart devices such as new pacemakers and implantable defibrillators that treat heart rhythm problems, improve heart function, and save lives. Recently, we have also heard news stories about manufacturer recalls and potential serious problems related to the devices. All of this can leave us confused when confronted with the need for one of these devices. Dr. Wilkoff, a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist and Director of Cardiac Pacing and Tachyarrhythmia Devices, will provide answers to your questions about pacemakers and defibrillators including the latest information from the 2009 Heart Rhythm Society meeting regarding the benefits of devices, lead extraction, and MRI safety.
Bruce Wilkoff, MD, is the Director of the Cardiac Pacing and Tachyarrhythmia Devices, and a staff cardiologist in the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Cardiac Pacemakers and Electrophysiology at Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Wilkoff has a special interest in the removal of pacemaker and implantable defibrillator leads, biventricular pacing for congestive heart failure and other arrhythmia device technologies. In addition, he specializes in treating cardiac arrhythmia, implanting defibrillators and the computerized analysis of cardiac pacemakers and electrophysiologic studies. He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, and he has served since 1988 on the examination writing committee for Special Competency in Cardiac Pacing and Defibrillation.
Dr. Wilkoff is recognized as an international expert in the design of new technologies to improve the performance of pacemakers and defibrillators. He is involved in numerous clinical multi-center trials to study medical applications for pacemakers and defibrillators. He holds five U.S. patents including a special algorithm for defibrillator tachycardia detection and an efficient controller for pacemaker rate responsiveness.
This Health Chat will open on June 25, 2009 to allow you to submit questions. We will try to answer as many questions as possible during the chat. Please create an account to attend the chat and submit your questions.