Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing

Cardiac Arrhythmias management is rapidly developing as a subspecialty within cardiology that is devoted to the diagnosis and the treatment of cardiac rhythm disorders, including invasive evaluation of their mechanisms, controlled destruction of arrhythmogenic myocardium by percutaneous catheters and implantation of cardiac rhythm management devices. Catheter ablation is the therapy of choice for most supraventricular tachycardias (over 100 000 interventions performed every year in Europe). Device implantation for arrhythmia treatment, sudden death prevention and cardiac resynchronization are practiced regularly nowadays (performed in more than 200 000 patients in Europe per year).

The increase in the indications and the number of all of these procedures depicts the present scenario by emerging indications, an increasing number of invasive procedures, and the establishment of new practicing units and professionals. Nevertheless, these procedures require cardiologists with comprehensive knowledge of cardiac arrhythmias disorders and who are trained in cardiovascular catheter manipulation, heart electrical signal recording and interpretation, device implantation and follow-up to ensure both patient's safety and quality.

Program objectives

-  achieve excellence in all areas of arrhythmia and pacing management

- develop expertise in the diagnosis and management of arrhythmias disorders, including invasive and noninvasive testing, and all therapeutic modalities including medical management, device implantation and follow-up, catheter ablation and clinical cardio-genetic.

- participate in all activities of the Heart Rhythm Management Centre, UZ Brussel; meet arrhythmia patients to observe, diagnose, manage, and judge the effectiveness of treatments for these patients.

- get the opportunity to assume continuing and increasing responsibility for both acutely and chronically ill patients to learn the natural history of a wide variety of cardiac arrhythmias and how to treat them. Fellows are given increasing responsibility in invasive procedures in the EP laboratory.

- participate to consulting on patients with arrhythmias and implanted devices in the intensive care units and other inpatient units.

- rotate among each of the EP faculty clinics as well as the outpatient device clinic, thus affording trainees the opportunity to observe and manage patients longitudinally, and to gain experience with device follow-up and management.

Research training

During the clinical training year, time is available to complete research projects and undertake smaller projects including case reports. Our fellows typically publish two to three peer reviewed publications during their clinical year and complete prior research projects. We encourage individuals without significant electrophysiology experience in their fellowship to participate in a comprehensive program that involves research and extended clinical training for two to three years (PhD program).