What is the London Atrial Fibrillation Centre

AF Centre London - Mission statement

Our mission is to provide and develop the highest quality treatments for atrial fibrillation using first class modern technology in an environment that recognises patients needs and anxieties. 

Facilities at the London Atrial Fibrilation Centre

 The London AF centre is based at two sites. We have a unit at London Bridge Hospital for people being treated as private patients or as a private-public partnership. For people being treated as National Health Service (NHS) patients we are based at St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City of London. We specialise in treating complex cardiac arrhythmia problems and have an international reputation for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Outpatient Services at the London AF Centre

Our outpatient clinics run from the beautifully restored listed art deco building, St Olaf House at London Bridge Hospital. We are based in offices on the third floor over looking the Thames. Most investigations can be performed here, however our Cardiology Unit is based one floor above for those tests that cannot be performed in the clinic.

A comprehensive range of outpatient services is available to ensure that our care for you is of the highest possible standard from the moment you first meet us until the time we are able to discharge you. When you are an outpatient you can often feel alone and cut off from the doctors and nurses looking after you. To prevent this we have an Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist who is a single point of contact, available every working day and who can answer your questions, reassure you or get you any help you might need from us to manage your condition.

AF Treatment Outpatient Clinics

For private patients The London AF Centre has its office and consulting rooms on the 3^rd floor of St Olaf House immediately adjacent to London Bridge Hospital. This offers comfortable surroundings and a convenient location with excellent transport links. Click here for directions

For NHS patients our clinics are held at St Bartholomew's Hospital which is situated in the heart of the City of London.

Atrial Fibrillation Outpatient Investigations

We offer all the necessary investigations to manage patients with AF using the latest technology. These include; blood tests, ECG, 7-day Holters, event recorders, exercise ECG, signal averaged ECG, echocardiography (including transoesophageal), cardiac MRI and CT (Click here to see Video of Left Atrial CT). 

 

AF Treatment London Inpatient services

London Atrial Fibrillation Centre Wards

The wards at London Bridge and St Bartholomew’s Hospitals you will be looked after on are dedicated to the care of cardiac patients. As we are nationally and internationally recognised centres of excellence we have a high volume of patients with cardiac rhythm problems and AF. The doctors and nurses will have looked after many patients similar to you.

Catheter labs

Our catheter labs are dedicated to the treatment of cardiac rhythm problems. They have the most modern cardiac mapping and ablation equipment. This means that whatever the rhythm problem you have you will not find a better place to have it investigated or eliminated.

Heart rhythm mapping technology:

We use state of the art cardiac mapping systems which include; Bard, Carto, Cartomerge (Click here to view Carto Merge Video) , Non-contact (Click here to view Non Contact Video), NavX mapping systems (Click here to view NavX Mapping System Video) and NavX Fusion. We also use robotic technology (Hansen) to assist in complex cases. We use both radiofrequency (heating) and cryotherapy (freezing) to perform ablation. Click here to learn more about these technologies.

Other important facilities:

We have two cardiothoracic theatres on each site (London Bridge and Barts) staffed by the best teaching hospital cardiothoracic surgeons in the country. We also have fully equipped cardiothoracic intensive care units (one at Barts and three at London Bridge)

Research

Atrial Fibrillation Research

Research is a key element in the London AF Centre remaining at the cutting edge of AF treatment. We have an active research program which currently employs three nurses, three senior research fellows (doctors) and a research coordinator. Most of our research is funded by prestigious grants awarded by organisations such as the British Heart Foundation. We regularly publish our research in leading medical journals and present our work at international conferences. Please click here for a list of our recent publications. Please click here to access our recent presentations. Our areas of research interest include:

• Anticoagulation protocols for AF – investigating the use of alternatives to warfarin

• Biventricular pacing and defibrillators

• Cure of permanent atrial fibrillation by catheter ablation

• New technologies for AF ablation

• Prevention and ablation of Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation

• The mechanism of permanent atrial fibrillation