Councilman Rosendahl Recovering Following Surgery

Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendal was recovering Thursday after doctors performed a cutting-edge medical procedure to treat an abnormal heart rhythm.

Rosendahl was awake just three hours after surgery and was reading e-mail on his Blackberry and giving direction to staff on district projects, said Mike Bonin, Rosendahl's chief of staff.

Dr. Shephal Doshi, director of cardiac electrophysiology at St. John's Health Center performed the surgery in Santa Monica.

Rosendahl for the past several years has had atrial fibrillation, which is an abnormal heart rhythm that can cause blood clots and lead to a stroke. The councilman has been treating it with a blood-thinning medicine called warfarin, which has a range of side effects.

“Everything went as expected,” says Doshi. “The Councilmember did very well and had an excellent result. He’ll be home tomorrow and off the warfarin.”

The surgery involved inserting a device called a "Watchman," a roughly one-inch large, umbrella-shaped device. The technique is in clinical trial in the United States, but is widely used in Europe, Asia and Australia.

Rosendahl expressed his gratitude for the prayers and well wishes he received vie e-mail as well as the post left by constituents and friends on Facebook and Twitter.

The councilman is expected to return to work as early as next week.