Dr. Andy Tran is a Board Certified Cardiac Electrophysiologist in the greater Phoenix Arizona region. He has been in practice for more than 15 years and has vast experience in multiple aspects of cardiac electrophysiology.
Internal medicine internship and residency: MCP Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA
Fellowship- Cardiovascular Disease: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Fellowship- Electrophysiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Dr. Tran has more than 15 years of experience in Cardiac Electrophysiology and Cardiovascular Medicine.
Dr. Andy Tran has performed more than 8000 cardiac ablation procedures.
Dr. Andy Tran has performed more than 8000 cardiac device procedures including defibrillators, cardiac resynchronization device (biventricular devices), pacemakers, loop recorders.
Dr. Tran is the first to perform transseptal puncture in an ambulatory surgery setting in 2017
Dr. Tran is the first to perform an atrial fibrillation ablation in an ASC setting in 2018
Dr. Tran also serves as principle investigators on multiple clinical research trials to keep up to date with all the latest clinical care and technology to better serve his patients.
Attention to Detail: Dr. Tran will use state of the art diagnostic tools to correlate specific patient symptoms with disease and cater the treatment to unique individual patients
Expert Team of Healthcare Workers to Care for Patients: There is a well- trained team that Dr. Tran works with to care for the patient from answering questions to remote monitoring and performing cardiac procedures.
Safety: The team approach that Dr. Tran takes puts patients’ safety and care foremost. He takes time to explain the risks and benefits of new treatments and procedures performed to each patient.
Low Infection Rate: There has been no implant related infection in the last 4000 cases.
Outpatient Procedure Approach: Dr. Tran and his care team understands that prolonged procedure times as well as prolonged hospitalizations time increase complication rates. As of result, most of the patients go home a few hours after their procedures.
Syncope
Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness usually related to insufficient blood flow to the brain. It's also called fainting or "passing out."It most often occurs when blood pressure is too low (hypotension). This can occur for several reasons including a slow or rapid heart rate, vasovagal sycope or anything that can cause a transient drop in blood pressure, such as dehydration or medications.
Heart Palpitation
Heart palpitations are the sensation that your heart has skipped a beat or added an extra beat. It may also feel like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering. You may become overly aware of your heartbeat. This sensation can be felt in the neck, throat, or chest. Your heart rhythm may be changing during the palpitations. Some types of heart palpitations are harmless and resolve on their own without treatment. But, if you have symptoms of dizziness, shortness or breath or fainting, you should be evaluated.
Symptomatic heart block
If a person has a heart block, they may experience: slow or irregular heartbeats, or palpitations shortness of breath lightheadedness and fainting pain or discomfort in the chest difficulty in doing exercise, due to the lack of blood being pumped around the body. In some cases, a permanent pacemaker may be indicated
There are three types of heart block.
First-degree heart block involves minor heartbeat disruptions, such as skipped beats. It is the least serious type of heart block, and it does not generally require treatment.
Second-degree heart block occurs when some electrical signals never reach the heart, causing dropped or skipped beats. The patient may feel dizzy, and they may need a pacemaker. The ventricle may not contract, as the atrial impulse does not reach the ventricles.
Third-degree or complete heart block is when electrical signals do not travel between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. This is the most serious of the heart blocks and requires placement of a permanent pacemaker.
Sinus Node Dysfunction
Sinus node dysfunction or sick sinus syndrome is the inability of the heart's natural pacemaker (sinus node) to create a heart rate that's appropriate for the body's needs. . The sinus node is an area of specialized cells in the upper right chamber of the heart. that controls your heartbeat. Normally, the sinus node creates electrical impulses which are steady, so your heart rises with exercise and slows with rest. With sick sinus syndrome, the electrical signals are abnormal. Your heartbeat can be too fast, too slow, interrupted by long pauses or an alternating combination of these rhythm
problems. Sick sinus syndrome is relatively uncommon, but the risk of developing it increases with age .Many people with sick sinus syndrome eventually need a pacemaker to keep the heart in a regular rhythm. Symptoms may include fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath or fainting
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure. The main types of cardiomyopathy include dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive.
An echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of your heart, can determine the type and severity of the cardiomyopathy, so it can be treated appropriately. Treatment can include medications, or implantible devices, including cardiac stimulators, special pacemakers, and in some cases implantable defibrillators
Conditions with high risk of cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SDA) is so often linked with coronary artery disease, so the same factors that put you at risk of coronary artery disease can also put you at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. These include: A family history of coronary artery disease; Smoking; High blood pressure; High blood cholesterol; Obesity; Diabetes; A sedentary lifestyle. Sleep apnea,and cardiomypathy can also increase your risk of SDA.
Supraventricular tachycardia
An abnormally fast heart rhythm due to improper electrical activity in the upper part of the heart, Can last several years or be lifelong Main causes include faulty electrical conduction in the heart and could trigger due to various factors such as use of some drugs, genetic factors, and other heart problems. Characterized by palpitations, feeling of a pounding heart, dizziness, feeling faint, shortness of breath and chest pain. Treatment includes anti-arrhythmic drugs, certain maneuvers, electrical shock to the heart and catheter ablation procedures.
Atrial flutters
Atrial flutter is an organized arrhythmia that comes from the upper chambers of the heart (atria) It is caused by a single signal that is rotation around a structure in the heart, like a train circling on a track. This causes a rapid regular heartbeat, that may or may not cause symptoms. Most often atrial flutter originates in the right atrium, but can also be found in the left atrium. Anticoagulation (blood thinners)are recommended. It is less common than Atrial fibrillation. Treatment for atrial flutter is a radio frequency ablation procedure.
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal and irregular heart rhythm in which electrical signals are generated chaotically throughout the upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Unlike atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation originates in the left atrium. Many people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms. Atrial fibrillation itself is not life threatening, but it can cause stroke, therefore, depending on your risks, anticoagulation (blood thinner) is recommended to reduce the risk. Treatment of atrial fibrillation can include, antiarrhythmics, direct current cardioversion or radio frequency ablation
Pacemaker/defibrillator lead and device malfunction
Pacemakers and defibrillators are normally reliable devices, but can have factory recalls and rarely, but can malfunction. If there is a problem with the device manufacturer will contact us and we will replace or reprogram it, per the manufactures recommendations. Leads can also develop problems over time as they are constantly moving with you. Insulation breaks, and lead dislodgement are two that are common. If there is any issue with the leads, they can be safely replaced.
Loop recorder implant
Implantable loop recorders are small devices about the side of a SUB drive, that are implanted un the skin on her chest, that has the capability of monitoring the electrical signals of your heart. They are used to identify arrhythmia, that may be related to undiagnosed palpitations, strokes or syncope (fainting).
Pacemaker implant
Pacemakers are small electronic devices (generator ) that delivers energy to the heart through flexible wire called leads. The device is implanted just below the collar bone on the left or right. The leads are implanted into your heart through a large vein in the chest. Pacemakers work by regulating a slow heart beat, and providing electrical stimulation to trigger your heart to beat. Pacemakers are minimally invasive, that takes about one half hour to implant. The procedure is performed under conscious sedation.
Defibrillator implant
Implantable Cardioverter-defibillators (ICDs) work much like permanent pacemakers, but have the ability to treat life threatening heart rhythms from the ventricles, or bottom changers of the heart. The rhythms can occur from genetic conditions such as Brugada syndrome and Long QT syndrome as well as for ventricular arrhythmias associated with cardiomyopathies (a weakened heart) It is also a minimally invasive procedure, performed under conscious sedation.
Sub-Q defibrillator implant
A subcutaneous ICD is a defibrillator implanted under the skin that does not have the traditional leads attached to the heart like other defibrillators. It is not able to provide pacemaker therapies like a standard defibrillator. The device is placed under the left armpit and an electrode is attached that is tunneled across the chest, and anchored under the skin above the heart. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia.
Cardiac resynchronization device implant
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a three lead system that not only coordinates how timing of the upper heart chambers (atria) and the lower heart chambers (ventricles). It also works on the timing between the left and right sides of the heart. When the two bottom chambers (ventricles) of your heart don’t beat at the same time. your heart can become weaker (cardiomyopathy) .The device can be a Biventricular pacemaker to preserve your heart function, or if you have a significant cardiomyopathy, a Biventricular AICD can be implanted to improve heart function, and to protect you from ventricular arrhythmias. The procedure is performed under conscious sedation.
Cardiac contractility modulation device implant
Cardiac Contractility Modulation is a therapy for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe heart failure with symptoms despite optimal medical therapy who can benefit from an improvement in cardiac output. The short- and long-term use of this therapy enhances the strength of ventricular contraction and therefore the heart's pumping capacity by modulating the myocardial contractility. This is provided by a pacemaker-like device that applies non-excitatory electrical signals adjusted to and synchronized with the electrical action in the cardiac cycle. It is implanted muck like a PPM, under conscious sedation,
Pacemaker or Defibrillator Generator Change (battery change) Your pacemaker (PPM) or Defibrillator (ICD) has a battery which is referred to as a generator. Just like any other battery, eventually your PPM or ICD generator will need to be replaced with a new one. The whole device is removed and replaced, leaving the leads in place. It is a relatively simple procedure performed under conscious sedation. Your leads will be tested, and if a lead requires replacing, it can be done during the generator change procedure.
Laser extraction of malfunctioned pacemaker/defibrillator leads
A laser lead extraction is the laser technique employed to remove a pacemaker or defibrillator wire or wires from inside the heart. Over time, the leads or wires that are implanted in the heart become scarred and encapsulated, which makes them difficult to remove Therefore, if there is an infected device pocket, or a broken or malfunctioning wire, and the leads need to be removed, laser extraction is indicated. This is performed in a hospital setting under general anesthesia. .
Left atrial appendage closure device implant
The Watchman left atrial appendage closer device is a permanent heart device. The implant is designed to prevent blood clots caused by atrial fibrillation (A-fib) from getting into the bloodstream. A-fib prevents the heart from pumping blood correctly. Blood that is not pumped out may pool in a part of the heart called the left atrial appendage. Blood clots may form in the pooled blood. If a clot moves out of the appendage and into the bloodstream, it can cause a stroke. The implant closes off the appendage to prevent clots from moving into the bloodstream. This helps lower your risk for a stroke. The procedure is performed in a hospital under general anesthesia.
Ablation of supraventricular tachycardias.
There are several supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs). They include atrial tachycardia, atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT), such as Wolf Parkinson's White syndrome. They are all arrhythmias originate in the upper part of your heart, and can be treated successfully with radio frequency ablation. This is preformed under conscious sedation.
Ablation of atrial flutter
Atrial flutter is a single signal rotation around a structure which occurs most commonly in the right atrium, bur can occur in the left atrium as well. An atrial flutter ablation is indicated, to interrupt the track the signal is using, to terminate the arrhythmia. It is performed under conscious sedation.
Ablation of atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a chaotic rhythm that originates in the left atrium, with signals that originate from where the pulmonary veins meet the tissue of the atrium. Instead of one track, such as with atrial flutter, the signals rotate around each other. Radio frequency ablation is indicated for long term control. The ablation is more complex that that of atrial flutter. It involves using radio frequency heat around each of the four pulmonary veins so that fences of scar tissue can trap the signals, reducing the incidence of the arrhythmia. It is most generally performed under general anesthesia in a hospital setting.
Ablation of Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular tachycardia ablation is a procedure to eliminate the areas of the heart where erratic electrical signals arise that can cause your heart to beat ineffectively. Ventricular tachycardia occurs when electrical signals within the lower chambers of your heart (ventricles) more quickly than the upper chambers. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) can cause dizziness and at time syncope. If you have a defibrillator, this can cause a shock from your device. A radio frequency ablation can reduce the episodes of VT from occurring. It is performed under conscious sedation.
Cardioversions
A DC Cardioversion (Direct Current Cardioversion) is a procedure to convert an abnormal heart rhythm to a normal heart rhythm. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal rhythm). Patients in AF are often not aware of any symptoms and the condition is not, in itself life threatening. However, patients are usually given anti-coagulants (blood thinning) medication to protect them from having a stroke. The procedure is carried out under conscious sedation and just takes a few minutes. It can be safely be performed multiple times, if needed.
Ablation of AVN in patients with permanent uncontrolled atrial fibrillation.
AV node ablation and pacemaker implantation is usually reserved for patients in whom all other treatments of atrial fibrillation have been ineffective, and the heart rate cannot be controlled with medications. The first step is to implant the pacemaker. By itself the pacemaker will not improve the way you feel. However, following this a special procedure called AV Node ablation (sometimes also called His bundle ablation) will be performed. This procedure is a simple procedure which effectively disables the conduction of the AV node. This will prevent any of the electrical short-circuits in the atria from reaching the ventricles. The pacemaker will now have complete control of your heart rhythm. The heart rhythm will be regular and will no longer race rapidly.
Phrenic nerve stimulation device implant to treat central sleep apnea.
Central sleep apnea is a disorder in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Central sleep apnea occurs because your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing. This condition is different from obstructive sleep apnea, in which you can't breathe normally because of upper airway obstruction. Central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea. There is a device that can be surgically implanted that stimulates your phrenic nerve that signals your diaphragm to move to help you breathe, when your breathing stops.
Dr. Tran has a family with three children that he is proud to balance his work and family time. He enjoys cycling, running, hiking with the family, and movie night with the family. He spends two weeks a year volunteering to care for the underserved patients in Vietnam.
