Arrhythmia and Heart Failure Division
Arrhythmia and heart failure treatment at Makiminato Chuo Hospital began in May 2011 with a team of doctors from the Ryukyus University Hospital. In the ten years of its establishment (May 2011 to December 2020), the team has performed 708 cases device implantation (pacemakers, ICD, CRT) and 3,103 cases of high-frequency catheter ablation for arrhythmia. In arrhythmia treatment, we employ the latest angiography system, EP workstation, and 3D mapping system; and in device monitoring, we are the first in Okinawa to introduce the home-monitoring system for ICD, cutting travel costs for patients on offshore islands. In future, we look to introduce robotic navigation system for arrhythmia treatment and percutaneous left atrial appendage closure device for stroke prevention in Afib patients.
Key Treatments
- High-frequency, cryo-freezing catheter ablation (for tachycardia arrhythmia including persistent Afib)
- Cryo-freezing, endoscopic laser balloon catheter ablation (for paroxysmal Afib)
- Permanent pacemaker implantation (for bradycardia arrhythmia)
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation (for ventricular tachycardia, fatal arrhythmia such as fibrillation)
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator implantation (for severe heart failure)
- Wearable cardiac defibrillator (WCD)
- Implantable loop recorder (ILR)
Our Doctors
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Senior Vice President Executive Manager Arrhythmia Outpatient Dr. HIGA, Satoshi Higa, PhD, FHRS
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Professional Affiliations |
The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Japanese Circulation Society Japanese Heart Rhythm Society Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society America Heart Rhythm Society |
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Professional Credentials |
Ph.D. in Medical Science Board certified internal medicine doctor of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Board certified specialist of the Japanese Circulation Society Board certified arrhythmia specialist of the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society Fellow of the American Heart Rhythm Society |
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Professional Faculties |
Japanese Heart Rhythm Society (Board of Trustees, International Exchange Committee, Asia-Pacific Subcommittee Member, Kyushu-Okinawa Subdivision Steering Committee) Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Meeting (Faculty 2007-2010, 2012-2013, 2015-2016, 2018, 2019) 3rd Indonesian Heart Rhythm Society Meeting (Faculty 2015) 2nd – 5th THRS Annual Conference in Conjunction with International Forum of Ventricular Arrhythmia in Taipei, Taiwan (Faculty 2016-19) APHRS Ablation Curriculum in Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan (Faculty, 2017) Taiwan Heart Rhythm Society AF Ablation 20th Anniversary Forum (Faculty, 2017) NPO Japan ICD (Advisor) 社団法人 沖縄内科学学術研究振興会理事 沖縄県国民健康保険診療報酬審査委員会委員 |
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International Medical Journal Peer Reviewer |
American Journal of Cardiology (Top 20 Non-board AJC Reviewers for 2017) Critical Care Medicine Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Molecular Medicine Reports Heart Rhythm Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology International Journal of Molecular Medicine Circulation Journal Acta Cardiologica Sinica European Journal of Clinical Investigation The International Journal of Cardiology The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging Cardiology Research and Practice American Journal of Translational Research Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine PACE Nutrition Research Journal of Biomedical Science Life Sciences Pharmacology Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology Journal of Arrhythmia Internal Medicine Biomedical Reports Gynecological Endocrinology Oncotarget World Academy of Sciences Journal Molecular and Clinical Oncology Oncology Letters
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Others |
Selection, Marquis Who’s Who in the World 2012-16, International Who’s Who of Professionals 2013, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering 2016-2017 Nominee, IBC 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century-2013, 2015 Nominee, IBC Leading Health Professionals of the World -2013 Listee, IBC Top 100 Health Professionals -2013 Listee, IBC Top 100 Educators -2013 The Cambridge Certificate for Outstanding Medical Achievement The International Plato Award for Educational Achievement-Iconic Achievers- (IBC: International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England) |
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Overseas Medical Mentions |
Dr. Higa’s previous scientific contributions is available in ResearchGate, a new way to measure scientific reputation. RG Score is calculated based on the publications in his profile and how other researchers interact with his content on ResearchGate. RG Score takes all his research and turns it into a source of reputation. His score (36.95) is higher than 95% of all ResearchGate members. Dr. Higa’s expertise in atrial fibrillation ranks in the top 3.8% in the world by Expert Scape, a healthcare search and ranking website to find the most knowledgeable doctors and medical centers for thousands of medical conditions and topics in the world. Dr. Higa’s previous scientific contributions are available in Publons, PubFacts, Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar, Scopus, ORCID, LOOP, AMiner, Scholars Portal Journals, Stanford Libraries, literature-based scientific professional networks of publications, citation metrics (h-index 27), peer reviews, and journal editing work. |
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Domestic Medical Mentions |
Noted Doctors of Japan (18 Noted Arrhythmia Doctors) Doctors Guide (14 Competent Arrhythmia Doctors) Medical Current Affairs (14 Significant Arrhythmia Doctors) Clintal Beta, the Michelin Guide to noted doctors (21 Noted Arrhythmia Doctors) 『手術数でわかるいい病院2017：全国＆地方別ランキング』, 朝日 MOOK 『手術実績で探す名医のいる病院２０１８』『心筋焼灼術専門医師１２名』, 医療新聞社 Medical News Digital 「最新治療データで探す『名医のいる病院』2020-23」「主要疾患の名医リスト2020-23」「心疾患の名医」 |
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Division Director of Ablation Treatment Arrhythmia Outpatient Dr. ISHIGAKI, Sugako
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Professional Affiliations |
The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Japanese Circulation Society Japanese Heart Rhythm Society |
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Professional Credentials |
Board certified internal medicine doctor of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Board certified specialist of the Japanese Circulation Society Board certified arrhythmia specialist of the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society |
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Professional Faculties |
Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Meeting（Faculty 2018） |
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Division Director of Device Treatment Arrhythmia/Pacemaker Outpatient Dr. MAESATO, Akira, Ph.D.
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Professional Affiliations |
The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Japanese Circulation Society Japanese Heart Rhythm Society |
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Professional Credentials |
Ph.D. in Medical Science Board certified internal medicine doctor of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Board certified specialist of the Japanese Circulation Society Board certified arrhythmia specialist of the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society Board certified occupational physician of Japan Medical Association |
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Professional Faculties |
Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Meeting（Faculty 2018, 2019） |
Key Apparatuses
- EP workstation/ recording system
- Bard Lab System (Bard/Boston Scientific)
- 3D mapping system
- EnSite Velocity System (Abbott)
- Biosense Webster CARTO3 System (Johnson＆Johnson)
- Rhythmia Mapping System (Boston Scientific)
- Stimulator
- Computer Stimulator (MicroPace/Boston Scientific)
- Radiofrequency delivery apparatus
- RF Generator (Century Medical/Japan Lifeline/Abbott/Johnson＆Johnson)
- Irrigation Catheter System (Abbott/Johnson＆Johnson/Boston Scientific)
- Cryo-freezing ablation system
- Arctic Front Advance (balloon) and Freezer MAX (non-balloon)
- CryoConsole (Medtronic)
- Endoscopy laser ablation system
- HeartLight (CardioFocus/Japan Lifeline)
- Esophagus temperature monitoring system
- CIRCA S-CATH (CIRCA Scientific)
- Others
- Biplane Cineangio system (Allura Xper FD20/10 Philips)
- Radiation protection cabin for EP (CATHPAX/Century Medical)
- Intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) (Arrow International)
- Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) (Medtronic)
- 4D echocardiogram (ACUSON SC2000 Ultrasound System, Siemens)
- Transesophageal echocardiogram (Siemens)
- Portable echocardiogram (ACUSON P3000 Ultrasound System, Siemens)
- Holter ECG (DSC-3300, Nihon Kohden)
