To find a cardiologist who uses Stereotaxis, contact the Physician Referral Service:
832- 355-DOCS(3627)
International Patients: 832-355-3350
Overview
Patients who suffer from abnormal heart rhythms – known as cardiac arrhythmias – are benefiting from St. Luke’s recent addition of Stereotaxis Gentle Touch™, a computerized magnet-guided technology.
This cutting-edge, minimally invasive method is used to restore normal heart rhythms. It is safer for patients than traditional treatment methods because it allows physicians to avoid the risks associated with manual and mechanical devices. With Stereotaxis, cardiologists are able to access remote areas of the heart that were difficult, if not impossible, to access previously. 
St. Luke’s is one of only three Houston hospitals to offer Stereotaxis, and one of only two in the area treating adult patients with this technology.
Stereotaxis and Ablation
Cardiologists frequently use Stereotaxis to perform an ablation: a procedure used to restore a healthy heart rhythm. In this procedure, a physician uses a form of energy to destroy a small amount of damaged heart tissue and restore normal electrical flow through the heart.
Ablation involves inserting a narrow wire – known as a catheter – into a blood vessel and winding the wire to the heart. The traditional method uses a stiff catheter inserted through the groin.
Ablation done with Stereotaxis uses a softer catheter that can be moved to exact locations remotely with magnets. The softer catheter is safer for the patient because it will not penetrate the heart wall. Unlike the traditional catheter approach, where the catheter is pushed through the blood vessels, Stereotaxis uses powerful magnets to pull the tip of the catheter to the correct location in the heart.
Potential patient benefits include:
- Shorter procedures
- Faster recovery
- Fewer complications
- Less exposure to X-ray radiation
For more information on Stereotaxis, visit the web site for Texas Heart Institute at TexasHeart.org.
HELPFUL WEB SITE
To help you learn more about Stereotaxis and the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, St. Luke's has provided a link to another Web site that may have other useful information. Please note that this link will lead to another site on the Internet.
Stereotaxis Ablation
