Peter S. Spector, MD

Education:

Training:

Residency

Fellowship

Specialty:

Certifications:

Biography:

Dr. Spector is the Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Fletcher Allen Health Care. His research interests include development of improved techniques for ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and other complex arrhythmias. He has elucidated cellular mechanisms leading to initiation of atrial fibrillation, work that was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. Dr. Spector was recruited to the University of Vermont from one of the premier centers for interventional electrophysiology in the world, the Cardiac Arrhythmia Research Institute at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Spector brings unique expertise and state-of-the-art techniques enhancing treatment of patients at Fletcher Allen Health Care.

In conjuction with Dr. Lustgarten, Dr. Spector teaches a nationally attended course on the biophysics of ablation and on the performance of transeptal puncture. The target audience include practicing electrophysiologists as well as trainees from other Electrophysiology programs. Dr. Spector will soon be starting a national course teaching the fundamental principles of cellular electrophysiology.

Major Research Interests:

Dr Spector's research has focused on three areas:

• Mapping of Atrial Fibrillation
• The role of the autonomic nervous system in the genesis and treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
• Biophysics of Ablation

Publications:

Representative Publications from a total of 14

Spector PS, Curran ME, Zou A, Keating MT, Sanguinetti MC.  Fast inactivation causes rectification of the  Ikr channel.  J Gen  Physiol 1996; 107:611-619.

Sanguinetti MC, Curran ME, Zou A, Shen J, Spector PS, Atkinson DL, Keating MT.  Coassembly of K(V)LQT1 and minK (IsK) proteins to form cardiac I(Ks) potassium channel.  Nature 1996; 384:80-83.

Spector PS, Curran ME, Keating MT, Sanguinetti MC.  Class III antiarrhythmic drugs block HERG, a human cardiac delayed rectifier K+ Channel.  Open-channel block by methanesulfonanilides.  Circ Res 1996; 78:499-503.

Nakagawa H, Shah N, Matsudaira K, Overholt E, Chandrasekaran K, Beckman KJ, Spector PS, Calame JD, Rao A, Hasdemir C, Otomo K, Wang Z, Lazzara R, Jackman WM.  Characterization of reentrant circuit in macroreentrant right atrial tachycardia after surgical repair of congenital heart disease. Isolated channels between scars allow “focal” ablation.  Circulation 2001; 103:699-709.

Lustgarten DL, Spector PS.  Ablation strategies reflect evolving concepts of atrial fibrillation mechanisms. J Electrocardiol 2001; 34:129-134.

Sun Y, Arruda MS, Otomo K, Beckman KJ, Nakagawa H, Calame D, Po S, Spector PS, Lustgarten D, Herring L, Lazzara R, Jackman WM.  Coronary sinus-ventricular accessory connections producing posteroseptal andleft posterior accessory pathways: Incidence and electrophysiological identification.  Circulation  2002; 106:1363-1367.

Nakagawa H, Aoyama H, Beckman KJ, S. Po S, Wu R, Lockwood D , Spector P, Calame JD, Lustgarten DL, Herring L, Hasdemir C, Singh D, Lazzara R, Jackman WM.  Relation between pulmonary vein firing and extent of left atrial–pulmonary vein connection in patients with atrial fibrillation.  Circulation  2004; 109:1523-1529.

Lustgarten DL, Bell S, Hardin N, Calame D, Spector PS.  Safety and efficacy of epicardial cryoablation in a canine model.  Heart Rhythm  2005; 2:82-90.

Spector PS, Noori AM, Hardin NJ, Calame JD, Bell SP, Lustgarten DL.  Pulmonary vein encircling ablation atlers the atrial electrophysiologic response to autonomic stimulation.  J Interv Card Electrophysiol  2006; 17:119-25.

Lobel RM, Lustgarten DL, Spector PS.  Multidetector computed tomography guidance in complex cardiac ablations.   Coron Artery Dis  2006; 17:125-130.