Study Suggests Patients Requiring Heart Implant Devices Should Seek Out Specialists
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The New York Times reported on a study released Tuesday that indicated that patients who had specialists implant their heart defibrillators had fewer complications than their counterparts whose surgeries were conducted by other doctors.
The study, headed by Dr. Jeptha P. Curtis of Yale University, examined 110,000 patients who had received defibrillators and other heart devices over 1.5 years from 2006 to 2007.
Overall, the study found that the rate of serious complications like heart attacks or internal bleeding that occurred during the implant of a heart device was lowest — about 1.3 percent — when the procedure was performed by an electrophysiologist, the name for a cardiologist formally trained in device use.
The study reported that most implant procedures, approximately 70%, were conducted by electrophysiologists. The highest rate of complication, approximately 2.5%, was reported among thoracic surgeons.
The increase in defibrillator implantation in recent years has led to increased questions regarding physician training in these implant procedures. Some defibrillator makers have even begun training programs for doctors who are not electrophysiologists.
This has caused some specialists to argue that patients requiring heart implant devices should seek out electrophysiologists to conduct their surgery. Other doctors have argued that, in some areas, there are too few specialists to meet the demand.
If you find yourself needing heart surgery, don't hesitate to question your surgeon about his/her experience and training. It is his/her job to put you at ease and instill confidence that he/she is the best person for you to trust. For information about heart health, click here. For information on medical devices and implants, click here.