More than 1,000 treatments for atrial fibrillation using "Pulsed Field Ablation"
Since January 2023, Privathospitalet Mølholm has carried out more than 1,000 treatments for atrial fibrillation using PFA ("Pulsed Field Ablation"). This is the highest number in Scandinavia and among the highest in Europe.
This week, cardiologists from Privathospitalet Mølholm and representatives from Boston Science marked a major milestone in treatments using Farapulse PFA.
Effective treatment for 1,000 patients
Since January 2023, the cardiologists at the private hospital have treated more than 1,000 patients for atrial fibrillation, and their extensive experience confirms to the entire team that Farapulse PFA is an effective and safe treatment.
"Reaching 1,000 treatments is a major milestone for us, and we are extremely proud of the excellent results we are achieving with this new treatment method," says Peter Steen Hansen, cardiologist and clinic manager at Privathospitalet Mølholm.
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is triggered by electrical signals, also known as extrasystoles, which occur around the opening of the blood vessels from the lungs into the pulmonary veins in the left atrium.
Ablation treatment creates a barrier around these areas, ensuring that the 'incorrect' electrical signals no longer disrupt the heart rhythm and trigger atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation, also known as atrial flutter, is increasingly treated with ablation. Ablation is performed using probes (catheters) that are inserted into the heart via the blood vessels in the groin.
What is ablation?
Ablation involves either heating the tissue to 65–75 degrees or freezing it down to -50 degrees. The treatment causes either a burn or a frostbite to the tissue, which subsequently forms scar tissue. This scar tissue acts as a barrier to abnormal electrical impulses, preventing them from disrupting the normal heart rhythm.
A new way of achieving the same effect is to apply a powerful electrical current to the tissue. This causes the cell walls to 'wither' and turn into scar tissue. This electrical stimulation is delivered in short, powerful pulses, hence the name 'Pulsed Field Ablation' (PFA).
The advantage of ablation with PFA
The advantage of PFA is that it provides a very effective and rapid effect on the tissue, and more importantly, it affects only the heart tissue and not the structures surrounding the heart.
28 June 2024