Waco-based Heart of Texas Surgery Center recently performed two heart procedures in an ASC, according to administrator Debbie Smith.
The two cryoablations were done under the direction of Jason Zagrodzky, MD, Ms. Smith said in a statement to Becker's ASC Review.
The minimally invasive surgery was done by inserting a catheter at the groin and inserting a cryoballoon through the left atrium to the pulmonary vein, according to a statement from Heart of Texas Surgery Center. The surgery temporarily stops the blood flow between the atrium and the vein, and a liquid refrigerant is sent into the balloon.
The refrigerant then removes heat from the heart tissue, scarring it so it can't transmit electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation, Ms. Smith said.
The announcement comes on the heels of new CMS rules announced in March that give ASCs more flexibility amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including one that allows centers to perform surgeries that normally wouldn't be done in an ASC setting before.
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