Jonas Gustavsson was sent to hospital as a precaution during the first intermission of Tuesday's game because his heart rate went up during a Montreal power play early in the first period. (Fred Thornhill/Canadian Press) Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson will see cardiac specialists Wednesday in Toronto after an elevated heart rate forced him out of the Leafs' game during Monday's first-period intermission in Montreal, the team said in a statement.
Gustavsson was sent to hospital as a precaution because his heart rate went up during a Montreal power play early in the first and "came down on its own in between periods," according to head coach Ron Wilson.
Toronto general manager Brian Burke added that the team was "just being ultra-cautious" with his trip to hospital since the Swedish rookie had to have heart procedure during training camp to treat a similar issue.
The 25-year-old didn't stay overnight in the Montreal hospital, as he was examined and released. He flew to Toronto on Wednesday afternoon, and the Leafs said they will update his condition on Thursday.
Gustavsson and backup Joey MacDonald shut out the Canadiens 3-0. Gustavsson is 6-5-5 this season with a .900 save percentage and 3.14 goals-against average.
Understanding Cardiac Ablation
An anatomical diagram showing the arteries of the human heart. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Normally, electricity flows throughout the heart in a regular, measured pattern. This normally operating electrical system is the basis for heart muscle contractions.
Sometimes, the electrical flow gets blocked or travels the same pathways repeatedly creating something of a "short circuit" that disturbs normal heart rhythms. Medicine often helps. In some cases, however, the most effective treatment is to destroy the tissue housing the short circuit. This procedure is called cardiac ablation.
The Procedure
Like many cardiac procedures, ablation no longer requires a full frontal chest opening. Rather, ablation is a relatively non-invasive procedure that involves inserting catheters – narrow, flexible wires – into a blood vessel, often through a site in the groin or neck, and winding the wire up into the heart.
Once the catheter reaches the heart, electrodes at the tip of the catheter gather data and a variety of electrical measurements are made. The data pinpoints the location of the faulty electrical site.
Once the damaged site is confirmed, energy is used to destroy a small amount of tissue, ending the disturbance of electrical flow through the heart and restoring a healthy heart rhythm. After the procedure, a patient remains still for four to six hours to ensure the entry point incision begins to heal properly.
Sourced by: Heart Rhythm Society
