Pulsed Field Ablation: New procedure improves on treatment of AFib
As a cardiac electrophysiologist at French Hospital Medical Center, Dr. Ragesh Panikkath considers himself an “electrician of the heart.”
Dr. Panikkath, who sees patients at San Luis Obispo’s Ella Street Specialty Center, which is part of Dignity Health Central Coast’s medical group, Pacific Central Coast Health Centers, is at the forefront of a new procedure that helps treat atrial fibrillation – also known as AFib.
AFib is a type of irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, in which erratic electrical signals can cause the heart's upper chambers to quiver, or fibrillate. This can increase the risk of blood clots, which can cause a stroke or other problems.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it is estimated that 12.1 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with AFib by 2030 — more than double the number in 2010.
The new procedure Dr. Panikkath has employed to help treat AFib is called Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA).
PFA works by creating tiny, controlled lesions in the heart’s electrical pathways, effectively 'scarring' the areas causing the abnormal electrical activity. This is a nonthermal treatment.
"French Hospital's new technology allows us to perform safer, faster atrial ablations, keeping local patients from having to travel to the Bay Area or Los Angeles," says Dr. Panikkath.
There are several advantages of using Pulse Field Ablation, according to Dr. Panikkath. Instead of using heat or cold energy as in traditional ablation, the PFA catheter therapy uses very short bursts of high energy to affect heart tissue that causes AFib.
“The newer technology uses a technique called electroporation, where a high voltage is used to achieve ablation. And this technology selects only the heart muscle cells,” Dr. Panikkath says.
By selecting heart muscle cells, there is less risk to the surrounding nerves, blood vessels, and esophageal tissue around the heart – greatly improving the safety of the procedure.
During a typical PFA procedure, a thin catheter is inserted into a vein in the leg and guided to the heart. High-energy pulses are then delivered in short bursts that destabilize cell membranes, causing the cells in a selected area of the heart to stop firing by a process called irreversible electroporation.
The procedure itself is painless and done under general Anaesthesia. Some may have slight discomfort for a few days after the procedure.
After the procedure, patients can expect to feel a sense of calm they haven’t experienced in years. Many patients report the constant fluttering in their chest is gone, replaced by a steady, reassuring beat. Patients with shortness of breath due to atrial fibrillation may be able to breathe better.
This represents a significant advancement in the treatment of AFib, offering a less invasive, more precise, and ultimately more effective solution for millions suffering from this debilitating condition. The implementation of Pulsed Field Ablation at French Hospital Medical Center signifies a commitment to providing cutting-edge cardiac care, bringing the benefits of this transformative technology to the Central Coast and offering hope for a healthier future to those living with atrial fibrillation.
To learn more about Dr. Panikkath, click here. For more information on the Ella Street Specialty Center in San Luis Obispo, visit our website.