- Kristi Powers
Choose the health content that’s right for you, and get it delivered right in your inbox.

Patients with the most common type of heart arrhythmia have a new treatment option available thanks to a new program at AdventHealth Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute. The Comprehensive Atrial Fibrillation Program offers an option for patients with longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation which significantly increases the chances of maintaining normal rhythm compared to existing standalone options.
On progress...

- Dr. David Spurlock, cardiothoracic surgeon at AdventHealth Orlando
WHY IT MATTERS:
The new program provides patients with a shorter recovery time, better outcomes and the ability to potentially cure AFib. For example, the minimally invasive hybrid procedure requires a 1-to-2-night hospital stay and then the patient is back to a normal routine within two weeks. Compared to a 3-month recovery from broken bones with open heart surgery, which historically was the only way to eliminate atrial fibrillation from the outside of the heart.
THE BIG PICTURE:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AFib is responsible for more than 454,000 hospitalizations and roughly 158,000 deaths each year in the U.S. In addition, the CDC forecast 12.1 million people in the United States will have AFib in 2030.
ABOUT THE NEW PROGRAM:
This FDA-approved hybrid approach involves two procedures to help treat patients with long-standing Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). By offering a minimally invasive procedure, patients can improve, and potentially cure, the most common type of heart arrhythmia.
“Instead of opening your chest and going inside the heart to fix AFib, we can make the same type of lesions on the outside of the heart using cameras to guide us, without stopping it, and only make a 2-centimeter incision at the base of your chest,” said Dr. David Spurlock, a cardiothoracic surgeon at AdventHealth Orlando.
"In this second procedure, we access the inside of the heart through the veins in the legs and cauterize off certain areas of the patient's heart, “ said Dr. Mahmoud Altawil, an electrophysiologist at AdventHealth Orlando. “By having both procedures done, one outside the heart and the other inside, it increases the patient’s chance of being able to maintain normal rhythm long term.”
Altawil says studies have shown many long-standing AFib patients do better with this hybrid, two-procedure approach and many are able to come off blood thinners, which is an added benefit.
On multi-disciplinary approach...

- Dr. Mahmoud Altawil, electrophysiologist at AdventHealth Orlando
“When physicians from multiple specialties come together to discuss our perspectives on a patient’s treatment, and we bring the patient in to discuss our best plan of action, we empower the patient to be an active participant in their own health care,” said Spurlock.
The multidisciplinary approach in this new program, which includes both the EP and cardiac surgeon, allows for treatment to be tailored to each patient and further improves outcomes.
Recent News
To meet rising demand, support physician partners, and deliver cost-effective outpatient care, AdventHealth is investing in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) in East Florida.
As the days get longer and the weather warms up, people are eager to get back to their favorite outdoor spring activities and sports. This transition from winter to spring often leads to an increased...
Marie Williams remembers being admitted to AdventHealth Parker on September 1, 2023, for colon resection surgery, but after that, things get hazy.
A special throwback on the No. 43 Toyota Camry driven by Erik Jones will honor a NASCAR winner and raise colorectal cancer awareness.
As the only physician in Central Florida certified to use the intestinal ultrasound, a cutting-edge diagnostic tool still new to the U.S., Dr. Jennifer Seminerio-Diehl is transforming the way IBD is...
Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month and the countless contributions women have made across all parts of society, including health care. One such area where women have made remarkable...
It’s never been more important to talk to your kids about mental health. Explore the resources and support available to help children — and their parents.
AdventHealth will offer round-the-clock medical care in the 12-bed, off-site emergency department east of Interstate 95.
Joshua Champion has been named Chief Operating Officer (COO) at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach. He officially steps into his new role on April 7.
For Katherine Wiley, holding a stranger’s hand in their final moments is not just an act of kindness, it’s a calling. As a volunteer at AdventHealth Parker, Wiley ensures that no patient spends their...
At just 18 years old, Barbara Fernandez Vazquez has already accomplished what many in the health care field spend years working toward.
For AdventHealth Parker volunteer Katherine Wiley, holding a stranger's hand in their final moments is not just an act of kindness -- it's a calling.