UTMB has been known for a lot of “firsts” in its 130-plus years – among them, its status as the first medical school in Texas and the nation’s first public medical school and hospital under unified leadership.
Today the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine continues UTMB’s tradition of blazing new trails, implementing multiple new technologies in an endeavor to achieve better outcomes and improve quality of life for patients with heart rhythm disorders.
“We are the first in Texas and in the top 10 nationwide for many of these products,” says Muhie Dean Sabayon, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist in the division.
UTMB’s electrophysiology team is well-versed in the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias and other heart rhythm concerns. They help patients achieve regular heart function, utilizing devices like pacemakers and defibrillators, and performing ablations that use radiofrequency energy to burn away a small amount of heart tissue and stabilize the rhythm.
In addition to these familiar procedures, Dr. Sabayon says the EP team is regularly exploring new technologies that make procedures more efficient and often safer for the patient.
On Sept. 8, the team performed its first procedure using the POLARx Cryoablation System, an innovative new way to treat atrial fibrillation that provides an alternative to radiofrequency ablations. Advantages include two different balloon sizes, allowing for more customization.
“It’s optimized for patient care and very individualized to the patient’s anatomy,” Dr. Sabayon says.
UTMB was the first in Texas, first in the Gulf Coast region, and sixth in the U.S. to use this technology. In a little over a month, the team has completed about 15 POLARx cases, with all patients doing well following the procedure. UTMB, which offers the procedure in Clear Lake and Galveston, is currently the only institution in the Houston area where it is available.
The Lux-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) Loop Recorder is another new technology that the EP team has begun to offer, providing 24/7 heart rhythm monitoring that the patient can also track with a smartphone app. UTMB’s first patient received the monitor, a paperclip-sized device inserted under the skin, on Oct. 2 – distinguishing UTMB not only as the first in Texas, but first in the U.S. to use it.
“Every patient who needs a loop recorder will get this latest version, which can provide the physician the latest information in order to help more accurately diagnose and treat these patients,” Dr. Sabayon says. “From the physician standpoint, it’s the same procedure, but it’s better for the patient because they can have everything linked to their phone.”
Then on Oct. 4, the team launched the new TSX™ Transseptal Delivery System. For this, UTMB is first in Texas, first in the south U.S., and fourth in the country. This system, consisting of a sheath and dilator, allows for easier, safer completion of a complex step during a left-sided ablation, when the physician must puncture a hole in the heart.
Dr. Sabayon says the new system provides safety, efficacy, and efficiency, and the improvement to this step means it also cuts down on the overall procedure time.
With many options to improve processes, these are likely the first of several new technologies the EP team will introduce in the near future. Dr. Sabayon says there is currently an abundance of new technology available, and the team is regularly evaluating the best options for UTMB and its patients.
“There are lots of innovations in the EP world, and we want to be at the forefront of that technology. The most important thing is the safety of our patients and how it will actually improve our workflows,” he says.
 | Muhie Dean Sabayon, MD, sees patients at the UTMB Health Cardiology Clinic at Clear Lake Campus. Learn more about Cardiology services at UTMB. |