a cardiologist or an electrophysiologist ?

What's the difference ? Having to have a second operation to successfully correct a botched first one ,I have done a lot of research since then .My first implant was done by a cardiologist not an electrophysiologist !! The shock lead had penetrated the wall of my heart and the operation had to be done a second time ,this time by an electrophysiologist .The second time it was done correctly !! I had much pain because of the first botched operation .Let me tell you that some cardiologists take a week-end course provided by the icd/pacemaker companies ,sometimes the companies provide a large truck with a mock operating room and the doctors receive their week-end training there !! While an electrophsiologist spends years training under the supervision of an expert in the field before he /she can be certified ! NEVER LET A CARDIOLOGIST DO YOUR PROCEDURE !!! Only seek out the best electrophysiologists who has done 100 's of successful procedures !!! Pass this information on to all your friends who might need an implant or an ablation procedure in the future !!!

12 Comments

cardiologists

by bluebowtye - 2014-07-09 01:07:05

Hi,

Not all of them are bad. A cardiologist did mine and he did a great job. I have not had any problems, issues or complaints whatsoever. He even took great care to not mess up my chest tattoo. I had never even heard of an electrophysiologist until I found this site and that was after my surgery.

~Sheila

Be careful with generalizations...

by golden_snitch - 2014-07-09 01:07:46

Hi!

I totally agree with Sheila: Not all of the cardios are bad. My office based cardio works together with a clinic, and does pacemaker and ICD implants one day per week. He has been doing this for years, and he has a VERY good reputation in Berlin.

Also, keep in mind that EPs specialize, too. I know a lot of EPs who do not do pacemaker and ICD implants; they do catheter ablations. They might have learned how to do an implant during their training, but they then decided to specialize in catheter ablations. My EP professor does not do my pacemaker surgeries, because he has chosen that path. But in his team he has two senior physicians who do nothing but device implants, five days a week.

I think that it also depends on which country or state you are living in when it comes to who is allowedd to perform device implants. I'm quite sure that in Germany a weekend course alone would not be enough to qualify a cardio, who is new to implants, and who does not have someone more experienced on standby/overseeing him. In Germany, in order to become a cardio, you have to spend several months in the EP lab during your training (which takes years), which includes assisting and later performing device implants. This is not just a weekend in a truck, as you put it. If you want to specialize in EP, you have to become a cardio first. And then you can do kind of an advanced training for about 24 months. Must be similar in the U.S. Don't think that you can become an EP anywhere, without having been a cardio first.

Inga

CARDIO OR EP ????

by Ger - 2014-07-09 05:07:26

HI:::::I, also, had never heard of an EP. At the suggestion
Of my Cardio when he determined that I neded a PM, a vascular surgeon performed the operation (Jan., 2012) & recovery was swift with no problems. Was back playing golf in a matter of weeks!!!

Don't think we have ep's in Australia.

by Harrie - 2014-07-09 05:07:52

I was offered the choice of a surgeon or a cardiologist who does pm implants.

Not everywhere

by boysmom - 2014-07-09 09:07:45

Has the availability of an EP. I would have had to travel upwards of three hours for an EP. My cardiologist did my PM and they have certified EP nurses at the clinic. So I think it's just a matter of researching your options, and knowing the skills and limitations of those we trust to take care of us.

Plumber or Electrician ?

by IAN MC - 2014-07-09 11:07:53

As George has discovered :-

Never get a plumber to re-wire your house and never get an electrician to fix the pipes !

Ian

Who?

by Alma Annie - 2014-07-10 07:07:37

Hi Royale,
I wonder who your brother saw, was it Professor Sanders? He is my cardio/EP and a brilliant one.
Alma Annie

Re yes we do

by Harrie - 2014-07-10 07:07:48

Hi Alma
You're right ... Apparently we do but not as many as there seem to be in the US.
A quick google search shows a few in Sydney, some at Monash etc but not very many compared with the number of cardiologists.
I guess it's true to say though that an ep generally isn't the first point of referral for pm surgery at least here in western Sydney.
What I found when researching cardiologists was that that they list their speciality as interventional cardiology or electrical problems of the heart or electrophysiology, but not "Electrophysiologist" - I presume that requires more training?
As a matter of interest my brother went to Adelaide from Canberra for his ablation. Another SA member of the site told me that the surgeon my brother saw is an ep so I stand corrected.


Yes I believe so

by Harrie - 2014-07-10 09:07:08

.. His cardio in Canberra said he gets better results from him than others, perhaps because I believe he takes a more radical approach. I saw a reference to the great results he is getting in Dr John Mandrola's blog, so I think you are in very good hands!

Yes we do

by Alma Annie - 2014-07-10 12:07:14

Hi Royale,
We do have EP's in Oz. Mine is a cardiologist and EP. Very experienced in both areas. In fact he was asked to return from Europe to train Dr.s at the Royal Adelaide hospital. I also know that they have EP's at the Flinders medical centre as I was treated by one in an emergency.
I am sure if we have them in Adelaide there would be several interstate. Where are you from?
Alma Annie.

Sad But True

by Lou - 2014-07-19 02:07:58

One of the top ranked Electrophysiologists in my mid-western US city botched my pacemaker surgery which was subsequently repaired (But never completely!) by a Cardio-Interventionist, namely a very experienced Heart Surgeon. I shall be replacing my device in late 2015 if things continue as they are and have already begun my "homework" re: to whom I should give the nod. For my peace of mind, it shall be an Open Heart Surgeon with lots of EP procedures under his or her belt.

Pacemaker leads concern

by Sparky36 - 2014-07-27 03:07:24


I just received a Medtronic Advisa PM 2 weeks ago.and I feel great! I realize that they are VERY reliable and that is not my concern.
My concern is trying to accept that wire leads can be put into a heart! My perspective is that if God had wanted that to be they would be there. Silly yes, but to me it defies all good sense and logic to place objects such as wires in a heart,
I have tried to Google information on the safety of Pacemaker leads in the heart and cannot find anything. ?
Can someone provide any scientific evidence that will alleviate my concern? Please be gentle with your information as this is a very new experience for me.

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