September is National Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about this potentially life-threatening condition. AFib is an irregular heartbeat or a condition in which the heart muscles fail to contract in a strong, rhythmic way. A racing, pounding heartbeat that occurs for no apparent reason should not be ignored, especially if accompanied with other symptoms such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, dizziness, chest pain or unusual fatigue. AFib may affect your ability to perform daily activities and impact your overall quality of life.

Listed below are some of the procedures performed by Heritage Valley Electrophysiologists to help patients diagnosed with AFib:

Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: AFib ablation is a minimally-invasive procedure that uses hot or cold energy to create scars in your heart tissue where the arrhythmia, or irregular/abnormal heart rhythm, is occurring. At Heritage Valley Beaver, we use Cryoablation (cold) and Radiofrequency (hot) ablation methods. The scars help to block the transmission of the electrical signals that cause the atrial fibrillation. 

Hybrid Ablation: Hybrid ablation is a minimally-invasive treatment that combines both surgical and catheter-based techniques. Since only a few small chest incisions are required for Hybrid Ablation, the risk of complications is significantly reduced when compared to traditional heart surgery. One step of a Hybrid Ablation involves surgery on the outside of the heart, called an Epicardial Ablation. The second step, performed six to eight weeks before or after, is called an Endocardial Ablation and targets the AFib signals inside the heart. This procedure lowers the risk of stroke by closing the part of the atrium where blood clots typically form. 

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD): An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is a small battery-powered device typically placed on the left side of the heart, right under the collarbone. An ICD continuously checks the heartbeat and delivers electric shocks, when needed, to restore regular heart rhythm. 

Permanent Pacemaker: A pacemaker is a small, battery-operated device that helps the heart beat in a regular rhythm.

WATCHMAN FLX™ Technology: For patients diagnosed with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem, The WATCHMAN FLX™ Implant is designed to keep harmful blood clots from entering your blood stream, potentially causing a stroke, by permanently closing off an area of the heart called the Left Atrial Appendage (LAA). By implanting the WATCHMAN FLX™ into the heart and closing off the LAA, the risk of stroke may be reduced and, over time, patients may be able to stop taking their blood thinners. While closing the LAA reduces stroke risk associated with AFib, it does not treat the AFib itself.

CLICK HERE to visit our Heart & Vascular Health webpage. To schedule an appointment with Electrophysiologists Dr. Maninder Bedi, Dr. Christopher Kolibash or Dr. Glen Miske, please call 724-773-4502.

Heritage Valley will be holding Flu Clinics, beginning on September 25 and running through November 17, at our Robinson Township and Center Township Medical Neighborhoods. According to the CDC, flu continues to pose a serious potential public health threat, and annual flu vaccination remains a critical tool to prevent flu and its potentially serious outcomes. 

The schedule for the clinics, which will run from 8 am – 4 pm, is as follows:



• Robinson Township ConvenientCare: Mondays & Wednesdays
• Center Township ConvenientCare: Tuesdays & Thursdays

Appointments may be scheduled on the Heritage Valley app (iHVHS/aHVHS). If you do not wish to schedule an appointment on the app, you may simply walk in to either location during the designated clinic times.

Beginning on September 25, flu shots will also be available at any ConvenientCare site during regular business hours, which are 8 am – 7:30 pm. Please register as you would for any other visit.

Pain is the number one reason that Americans access the health care system, according to usapainfoundation.org. The daily struggles of living with chronic pain are real. During National Pain Awareness Month, we want to highlight Heritage Valley’s Pain Treatment Center and the great work that our physicians do to determine underlying causes of pain and provide treatment.

At the Heritage Valley Kennedy Pain Treatment Center, our team of pain management experts is dedicated to helping you fully understand your pain, develop a plan to reach your treatment goals and stop your suffering. We provide life-changing, comprehensive pain treatment options for people dealing with a variety of ailments.

Dr. David DeChellis and Dr. Ankur Gosalia, the physicians at the Heritage Valley Kennedy Pain Treatment Center, perform minimally invasive cutting-edge procedures with the goal of avoiding unnecessary invasive surgery. They are also very knowledgeable about the newest medications available. Or, Dr. DeChellis and Dr. Gosalia may recommend further alternative treatment strategies including Aqua Therapy, Chiropractic Care, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with the goal of relieving your suffering from pain with a natural, drug-free approach.

Pain is a complex, frustrating and debilitating problem that affects at least 100 million adults in the United States. Pain limits physical function, causes emotional stress and affects a person’s overall quality of life. CLICK HERE for more information about the Heritage Valley Kennedy Pain Treatment Center and to see a list of some of the health issues that we treat.

  

If you are in pain, call the Heritage Valley Kennedy Pain Treatment Center at 412-777-6400 to schedule your initial consultation with one of our Board-Certified Fellowship-Trained Pain Management Physicians.