The Cardiac Electrophysiology Society is delighted and honored to have Dr. Melvin M. Scheinman, M.D. as the 19th Annual Gordon Moe Lecturer. Dr. Scheinman is Professor of Medicine, Walter H. Shorenstein Endowed Chair in Cardiology. He is one of the founding fathers of the field of cardiac electrophysiology and a pioneer in its clinical application.Dr. Scheinman grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School and graduated first in his class at Johns Hopkins University in 1956. He graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1960) and completed his internship and medical residency at the University of North Carolina after serving in the U.S. Air Force. He completed his cardiac fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco and joined the faculty in 1967 and was appointed to the rank of Professor of Medicine in 1989.

Research Accomplishments (Catheter Ablation)

Dr. Scheinman is best known for being the first to perform catheter ablation in humans. The initial procedure involved ablation of the His bundle. Subsequent innovative ablative procedures pioneered by Dr. Scheinman and colleagues include: Successful ablation of posteroseptal accessory pathways (F. Morady) as well as ablation of patients with AVNRT (L. Epstein) using high-energy D/C shocks. In addition he developed techniques for ablation of ventricular tachycardia localized to the ventricular septum by delivery of shocks across the septum (S. Winston). Dr. Scheinman pioneered use of catheter techniques for ablation of focal junctional tachycardias (M. Hamdan) and for modification and ablation of the sinus node in patients with inappropriate sinus tachycardia (R. Lee).

Mechanism of Arrhythmia

Dr. Scheinman was the first to prove the existence of manifest nodo-fascicular tracts as a source of "Mahaim tachycardias" (H. Grogin). He and colleagues were first to prove the existence of double-wave reentry in patients with flutter (J. Cheng) as well as lower loop and upper loop reentry (J. Cheng/Y. Yang). More recently his group has defined the presence of inter isthmus reentry (Y. Yang/N. Varma). He has defined the criteria for diagnoses of concealed nodo-fascicular pathways (M. Hamdan).

Other Research Interests

He supervised a national project that defined the role of intravenous amiodarone for treatment of serious ventricular arrhythmias. He was first to study the role of measurement of the HV interval in defining the natural history of patients with bundle branch block. These studies are currently used in the guidelines for insertion of permanent pacemakers.

Educational Activities

Dr. Scheinman has had a long-term interest and devotion to teaching at all academic levels. He was early in his career named a teaching fellow of the AHA. In that capacity, and funded by a NIH grant he produced video demonstrations relative to acute coronary care. More recently he has worked with Mr. David Criley to produce innovative dynamic programs to illustrate mechanisms and treatment of supraventricular tachycardia. He has also pioneered the use of electronic calipers and ladder diagrams (constructed by Mr. Criley) in his teaching activities.

Societies and Editorial Positions

Dr. Scheinman is past President of the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology and has served as Chairman of the Electrophysiology and Pacemaker Committee for the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. He was a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examination for Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology. He was co-chair of the ACC/AHA/ESC Guideline Committee for Supraventricular Arrhythmias.Dr. Scheinman is author or co-author of over 350 manuscripts. He served as Associate Editor for Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and is Editor for Electrophysiology for the journal PACE. He also serves on the editorial board of Circulation, the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology and Current Problems in Cardiology.

Awards

Dr. Scheinman was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus Award by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1990. He received the Pioneer in Pacing and Electrophysiology Award from the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology, and presented the plenary address at the 22nd Annual Scientific Sessions of the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology in May 2001. He received the Mirowski Award for Excellence in Cardiology and Cardiac Electrophysiology in April 2000. In December 2002 Dr. Scheinman was recipient of the Walter H. Shorenstein Endowed Chair in Cardiology. In October 2003 the University of California, San Francisco Academic Senate honored Dr. Scheinman with the Distinguished Clinical Research Lecture. He received the Kaiser Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1972 and the University of California, San Francisco Outstanding Teaching Award in 1973. He received the Paul Dudley White Teaching Award from the American Heart Association, the Cardiology Faculty Teachers' Award from the University of California, San Francisco in 1998, and the Gifted Teacher Award from the American College of Cardiology in March 2001.