Baptist Health Paducah performed first regional innovative procedure to treat atrial fibrillation
PADUCAH, KY (April 24, 2024) - Baptist Health Paducah became the first hospital in the western Kentucky Region to take advantage of an innovative new device that treats intermittent atrial fibrillation, or an irregularly fast heart rate. The FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation System is a catheter device that uses electric fields during an ablation procedure to treat specific tissue areas around the heart that cause potentially life-threatening arrhythmia.
In typical ablation procedures, catheters produce extremely hot or cold temperatures to destroy tissue, which poses a small risk of causing damage to other surrounding areas and complications like pulmonary vein stenosis or esophageal injury. The FARAPULSE™ PFA System, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in January, doesn’t rely on extreme temperatures and treats only specifically targeted areas of heart tissue, significantly minimizing risks of complications related to ablation. Additionally, data from the device’s clinical trial period found that its use made for quicker procedure times and better learning curves for physicians.
Vedran Oruc, MD, electrophysiologist and electrophysiology medical director with Baptist Health Paducah performed the first ablation with this new system. “This is a brand-new form of ablation technology that no longer requires freezing or burning of tissue to perform ablation,” said Dr. Oruc. “That means that patients can have safer, faster, and more consistent treatment of heart rhythm disorders. I fully anticipate that this will become the standard of how we treat arrhythmias over the next several decades. My hope and expectation is that this form of technology will expand our treatment options to patients who were previously not candidates for ablation.”
Atrial fibrillation affects about seven million Americans and it is estimated that 12 million people in the U.S. will have it by 2030, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People who suffer from the condition are at a higher risk for stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. The FARAPULSE™ PFA System, which was developed by Boston Scientific, offers hope to some of this population.
“Our patients and community deserve access to state-of-the-art technology and evidence-based medicine. Our cardiovascular team provides outstanding cardiovascular care every day and we are proud to be the area leader,” said Craig Beavers, Vice President of Operations for Baptist Health Paducah. “We are pleased to offer this new therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation and help them to restore their health.”
The FARAPULSE™ PFA System is currently available as an ablation treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation.