Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

High-Risk Patients

At the University of Chicago Medicine, we welcome high-risk patients and complex cases, including those turned away from other institutions. Our dedication to being at the forefront of innovation inspires us to advance the science of clinical medicine, including combining new research, therapies and techniques to find a novel solution for these patients. We are constantly challenging ourselves to discover new ways to manage conditions that cannot be successfully treated with standard options.

Advanced Technology

With access to the latest technological advancements, our arrhythmia care team can deliver personalized treatment designed to improve success and safety. Using innovative heart rhythm mapping systems allows us to pinpoint arrhythmia locations for highly precise, targeted treatment. Additionally, having the latest implantable device technology, such as the leadless pacemakers and subcutaneous defibrillators, enables us to select the ideal device for each patient.

Along with offering the leading-edge technology, our facilities are also of the highest caliber. We work out of three state-of-the-art procedural suites that were specifically designed for maximum safety and efficiency. These suites are in close proximity to both the cardiac catheterization suite and the cardiac operating rooms, allowing us to easily perform complex procedures.

Robotic Surgery for Arrhythmia

Our surgeons are pioneers in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and regularly perform less invasive treatments for atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart valve conditions and other heart problems. Some of the minimally invasive procedures regularly performed by UChicago Medicine heart surgeons including surgery to correct atrial fibrillation, a common type of arrhythmia.

Hybrid operating rooms unite the surgical suite and the cardiac catheterization lab, enabling surgeons and interventional cardiologists to perform multiple procedures in one setting.

Multidisciplinary Care

At the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Arrhythmia Care, we work with each patient to deliver high-quality, personalized care, whether you are seeking a first opinion for your condition or turning to us as a last resort. Through our multidisciplinary approach to care, we combine the best minds in heart rhythm medicine to ensure each patient receives a comprehensive treatment strategy that complements their diagnosis and lifestyle.

To manage complex cases, our arrhythmia experts collaborate with cardiovascular intensivists, cardiac surgeons and heart failure specialists to find novel ways to treat complicated conditions. For example, to treat patients who have not experienced symptom relief after using standard therapies offered in the community, we partner with our robotic heart surgeon to perform hybrid procedures, combining the best of surgical and interventional cardiology and offering our patients a truly innovative solution. Additionally, our electrophysiologists are collaborating with heart failure experts to provide advanced, concierge-level ventricular care to patients with congestive heart failure and ventricular dysfunction.

Ongoing Research

The Center for Arrhythmia Care has a strong commitment to basic, clinical and translational research. Our goal is to discover new methods for preventing arrhythmias and improving patient care. Our nationally recognized, National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded physician-scientists are developing new technologies to better understand atrial fibrillation and create novel treatments for better outcomes and quality of life for our patients.

Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) occur when a patient's heartbeat is abnormal or irregular, meaning that it can beat too slowly, too quickly or skip a beat. Experts at the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Arrhythmia Care specialize in managing care for the full spectrum of heart rhythm conditions. Our physicians are working to convert basic research into bedside care for our patients through clinical trials. Clinical trials allow us to offer patients access to the latest, most advanced treatment options, even before they are widely available.

Pediatric Heart Care

The pediatric cardiology team at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital brings patients the latest in heart research and treatments while delivering personalized, compassionate care to each family. We excel at treating pediatric heart disease, including arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, heart failure and more.