ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
NEIL’S STORY
Heart issues run in Neil’s family — his father had a triple bypass. Even so, Neil never thought his heart would be a problem. But in 1993, at just 45 years old, Neil began to experience what he describes as a ‘butterfly feeling’ in his chest. He was quickly diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia, meaning his heart didn’t have a regular rhythm because the electrical signals that controlled his heartbeat were not working properly. Unfortunately, he had two types of arrhythmia: atrial flutter which caused a racing heartbeat and atrial fibrillation which caused his heart to beat irregularly. “It was shocking to hear this news, and the first few years of my cardiac journey were very stressful for my family, for me and for others around me,” says Neil. “Having arrhythmia, it taxes you. You live with this constant reminder that something is not right. I tried drug therapy and it provided limited benefits, but often I had to go to the Emergency Department for cardioversion, a procedure where an electric current is sent to my heart to reset its normal rhythm. At one point, I had to go to Emergency three times in 11 days — it was just too much.” Neil was referred to Dr. Sterns and Dr. Leather at Royal Jubilee Hospital — both passionate, caring and innovative electrophysiologists. In 2005, they spoke with Neil about advancements in electrophysiology, a branch of cardiac care that studies the electrical component of the heart. The new technology gave Neil hope that he would one day be able to have his life back. In 2011, Neil received his first ablation treatment. The innovative procedure was conducted by Dr. Leather, who inserted a catheter through his groin, threaded it to his heart and gently scarred the faulty pathways that caused the atrial flutter. Neil woke up from the procedure with immediate relief. Neil’s heart continued to beat normally for several years until another cardiac issue, atrial fibrillation, caught up to him. In 2014, he had a second ablation procedure. This time, it was more complex. But the Heart Health team was once again successful — the scars left by the ablation stopped the abnormal electrical signals moving through Neil’s heart. “I have only had two arrhythmias since receiving the second ablation procedure. I can’t tell you how it feels to have my life back again, to be able to travel without the fear of having to rush to an Emergency Department of a hospital in a distant locale and to live without the anxiety of my heart not working properly. Having cardiac issues can put your mind in a dark place, but what helps is knowing we have the best Heart Health team right here in Victoria.”
“I remember doing a victory lap around the Cardiac Short Stay unit shortly after and going home to my wife that very same day. ‘I’m a new man!’ I said to her.”