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[Sources: illustration, wildpixel\/istockphoto; DI Studio]<\/p>\n
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth is among the leading U.S. hospitals participating in an international study focused on patients at high risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. The hospital is tied at No. 5 with Mayo Clinic for the highest patient enrollment among U.S. sites in the study.<\/p>\n
The study is an international clinical trial evaluating an FDA-approved extravascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or EV-ICD, Texas Health said. The device monitors the heart and delivers therapy for ventricular arrhythmias\u2014dangerous abnormal heart rhythms that originate in the heart\u2019s lower chambers and can lead to sudden cardiac death.<\/p>\n
Unlike traditional implantable defibrillators, which are placed inside the heart through blood vessels, the EV-ICD is positioned outside the heart. A lead is placed beneath the breastbone, and the generator is implanted on the left side of the chest.<\/p>\n
\u2018A major advancement for our patients\u2019<\/p>\n
More than 30 facilities around the world are contributing to the Enlighten Study<\/a> to evaluate the safety and performance of the EV-ICD in treating ventricular arrhythmias. Fourteen hospitals in the U.S. are part of the study.<\/p>\n For patients, the approach changes how defibrillator therapy is delivered, said Dr. Theodore Takata, a cardiac electrophysiologist with Texas Health Physicians Group who is on the Texas Health Fort Worth medical staff.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ability to offer lifesaving defibrillator therapy without placing leads inside the heart or veins represents a major advancement for our patients,\u201d Takata said.<\/p>\n Because the system avoids internal leads, patients do not face the same movement restrictions following the procedure, he said. \u201cAfter the procedure, there are no restrictions on left arm movement,\u201d Takata added, noting that the benefit can be especially meaningful for younger adults and athletes who want to remain active.<\/p>\n Takata said patients have traveled to Texas Health Fort Worth to receive EV-ICD therapy. More than 1,000 patients are enrolled globally across all participating sites.<\/p>\n Timely treatment is key<\/p>\n Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 450,000 deaths each year attributed to sudden cardiac death. Ventricular arrhythmias are a leading cause of sudden cardiac death worldwide and account for an estimated 15% to 20% of all deaths in highly developed countries.<\/p>\n The ICD technology brings continued safe and reliable care for those patients at risk for sudden cardiac death, said Dr. Sunita Koshy-Nesbitt, a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist and chief medical and quality officer for Texas Health Physicians Group.<\/p>\n \u201cDiagnosing and timely treatment of deadly arrythmias is a key clinical tool in the fight against cardiovascular disease,\u201d said Koshy-Nesbitt.<\/p>\n The EV-ICD continuously monitors the heart. When it detects a fast or irregular rhythm, the device first delivers a small electrical signal in an attempt to correct it. If the rhythm persists, the system delivers a defibrillation shock to restore normal rhythm.<\/p>\n Future of cardiac care<\/p>\n In addition to performing EV-ICD procedures at Texas Health Fort Worth, Takata serves as a national faculty instructor for the technology. He was recently one of three U.S. physicians invited to help launch and train doctors on the EV-ICD system in China, Texas Health said.<\/p>\n Jared Shelton, president of Texas Health Fort Worth, said the study reflects the hospital\u2019s broader focus on patient safety and quality of care.<\/p>\n \u201cThe priority is to use advanced technology to enhance patient safety and get patients back to their loved ones and a better quality of life,\u201d Shelton said.<\/p>\n Shelton said the hospital\u2019s electrophysiology team\u2014including specialized nurses and technical staff\u2014is helping shape the future of cardiac rhythm care in North Texas and beyond.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss what\u2019s next. Subscribe\u00a0to\u00a0Dallas\u00a0Innovates.<\/p>\n Track Dallas-Fort Worth\u2019s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \tR E A D\u00a0\u00a0 N E X T\t<\/p>\n \t Creatives Care Dallas brings virtual care, behavioral health, 2,000+ medications with zero copay, and more to Dallas County’s gig workers. The community initiative is powered by Arete Health Shield in partnership with the Dallas Music Office.<\/p>\n \t Combining cutting-edge research and real-world applications, the UT Dallas professor transforms public health with innovations in detection technology, including \u201ca check engine light\u201d for the human body. In collaboration with EnLiSense, the company she cofounded, Dr. Prasad combines chemistry with software and hardware to bring the technology to life as market-ready devices.<\/p>\n \t The new federal Alzheimer’s hub joins an elite network of 37 centers nationwide. Scientists from UT Southwestern, UT Arlington, and UT Dallas will decode dementia by exploring hypertension’s role, analyzing voice patterns with AI, and creating virtual patient models.<\/p>\n![\"Social](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/27_ByronSanders-STEM-STEAM-STREAM-970_courtesy_Oct2019-1.jpg\")
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