Electrophysiology Service

Most arrhythmias—or heart rhythm problems—are harmless, but if your child’s heart is beating too fast, too slow, or skipping beats, he or she may require treatment, and you will need to see an electrophysiologist. Electrophysiologists are physicians who are specially trained to treat the heart’s electrical system.   

Columbia’s Electrophysiology Service is the largest of its kind in the New York metropolitan area, providing expert diagnosis and treatment for heart rhythm problems that range from simple to the most complex. We routinely provide second opinions and treat patients with complex conditions who have not found successful treatment elsewhere. Over the past decade we have performed more than 1,000 procedures to treat children with heart rhythm problems. 

The Electrophysiology Service is located in NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, one of the top-ranked children’s hospitals in the country.  

Our Approach to Care

Arrhythmias are sometimes caused by other heart issues, such as congenital heart defects or cardiomyopathy. Our team takes a collaborative approach to care, working closely with your child’s cardiologist or other physicians to find both the cause and the best treatment plan for your child. With the right treatment and management, children with arrhythmias lead full and active lives.

Learn About Arrhythmias in Children

Advances in technology over the past decade have made treatment for arrhythmias less invasive, with lower radiation exposure, and we are at the forefront of these developments. We now perform most ablation procedures, used to treat some arrhythmias, using 3D mapping technology, which eliminates the need for fluoroscopy imaging and the radiation exposure it involves.  

Our team uses advanced tools and technologies to assess and treat arrhythmias, including: 

• Wireless heart rhythm monitoring
• Implantable cardiac devices
• Management of children with pacemakers and implantable defibrillators (ICD)
• Ablation of cardiac arrhythmias
• 3D imaging in ablation procedures
• Assessment of arrhythmias related to genetic abnormalities
• Assessment of family members of victims of sudden death

Learn About Arrhythmia Treatment

A Team of Experts

Our team, led by Leonardo Liberman, MD and Eric Silver, MD, includes electrophysiologists who work closely with cardiac nurses, pediatric anesthesiologists, pediatric cardiac surgeons, and pediatric cardiologists, making sure that your child gets the best care possible.

Conditions We Treat

Our physicians are experts in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of heart rhythm conditions including:

• Supraventricular tachycardia
• Ventricular tachycardia
• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• Fetal arrhythmias
• Heart block
• Hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy
• Brugada syndrome
• Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
• Long QT syndrome/short QT syndrome

Location