Electrophysiology Lab

The Electrophysiology (EP) Lab at Elkhart General Hospital benefits patients who experience arryhythmias, or disturbances in the rhythm of their hearts electrical system.

The EP Lab houses state-of-the-art technology, including the CARTO System, an advanced computer mapping system that provides a picture of the heart's electrical layout and assists the Cardiologists in locating the sources of arrhythmias. Patients are connected to the system via wires inserted in the veins leading to the heart.  The Cardiologist passes electrical current through these wires to trigger bad rhythms.  The mapping system allows the Cardiologist to identify the area responsible for the arrhythmia and neutralizes it so it no longer interferes with the heart's normal beating.  Often patients have more than one area of arrhythmia, which means the Cardiologist must precisely map where each occurs.  Because of the complexity of the procedure, it can take eight hours or more.

However, an EP procedure can permanently resolve longstanding arrhythmias and eliminate the need for medications to mange these conditions.  In addition, the EP procedure can uncover the need for further procedures, such as insertion of a pacemaker or a defibrillator to regulate the heart's rhythms.

The EP Lab has its own dedicated space staffed by four Cardiologists who are Board Certified in Electrophysiology.  In addition, dedicated Cardiovascular Technicians and Registered Nurses comprise the experienced team that performs each EP procedure.  Having a dedicated lab will free up these other areas, increasing the efficiency for catheterizations and surgeries as well as EP procedures.