St. John’s Regional Medical Center Implants First HIS-Bundle Pacemaker

New treatment offers hope for patients with heart failure

OXNARD, CA – (November 14, 2018) – St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC), a Dignity Health hospital, is proud to announce that the first HIS-bundle pacemaker (HBP) has been successfully implanted. This innovative cardiac electrophysiologic technique is offered to selected patients with cardiac conduction disorders that require pacemakers to help level heart rates. Cardiac Conduction is the electrical conduction system that controls heart rate.

HBP uses the patients’ same pacemaker, specialized leads placed in the HBP, instead of placing it directly into the right ventricle. The HBP then assists the right and left ventricles to be more synchronized and compress simultaneously in a more natural way.

“The availability of HBP at St. John Regional Medical Center provides more options for our community who require pacing and might be at increased risk for heart failure,” said SJRMC Medical Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology Services, Ali Sovari, MD. “HBP represents a complete paradigm shift in ventricular pacing.”

The introduction of HBP in cardiac care procedures at St. John’s Regional Medical Center is just one more example of the investment the hospital is making toward ensuring the latest, most-advanced technology and procedures are here, so our community does not have to travel north or south to receive world-class care. These investments are part of the Moderation and Expansion project currently underway at SJRMC, which also includes the expansion of our: Emergency Department, patient access additions, Labor and Delivery department, NICU, and Neuroscience Center and Brain Injury program.

“Cardiac electrophysiology is not new to St. John’s Hospitals,” said Darren Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. “We’re just doing more complex procedures with state-of-the-art technology so that patients in our community do not have to travel outside the area to be treated by world-class physicians.”

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About Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center

St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard is a recipient of the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence (2012-2015) and is rated among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care for five consecutive years. St. John’s Regional Medical Center’s cardiac program offers effective treatment for heart disease as a STEMI Receiving Center, world-class clinical research trials, a certified primary stroke center, and recently became the first hospital in California to offer the world’s smallest leadless pacemaker for patients with bradycardia – slow heart rate. In addition, St. John’s was the first and only hospital in Ventura County to perform cryoablation, an innovative procedure to treat atrial fibrillation – a common heart rhythm disorder. St. John’s Cancer Program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and offers a lung cancer program recognized as the only Center of Excellence in Ventura County. The 16- bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. John’s provides family centered care for newborns requiring highly specialized attention. Learn more about other classes, events and support groups atDignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional.