New surgery gets patient back in rhythm

AUSTIN (KXAN) - More than 5 million people in the United States suffer from an irregular heart rhythm, but a new surgery technique can treat irregular heartbeats in Austin.

This week Dr. Andrea Natale at St. David's Medical Center in Austin became the first physician in the country to perform a new type of procedure to treat the condition.

Using what's called a CARTO 3 navigation system - it gives doctors a three dimensional image of the problem.

"This system I think will provide us with a big improvement in our ability to do this procedure effectively and safer for the patient," said Dr. Andrea Natale, electrophysiologist with the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center.

The patient who underwent the procedure came all the way from Canada to have the surgery. And two days after it was completed, the irregular heartbeat has been corrected.