New pulse ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation treatment at Citrus Hospital

Inverness, FL — HCA Florida Citrus Hospital recently announced an advancement in available cardiac care as it became the first hospital in Citrus County to offer a revolutionary non-thermal pulse ablation procedure for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). This cutting-edge procedure promises new hope for patients battling AF. The new approach can minimize risks associated with traditional thermal ablation, potentially expanding access to AF ablation treatment to more patients.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of cardiac innovation by introducing this pulse ablation procedure to our community,” said Lisa Nummi, Chief Executive Officer, HCA Florida Citrus Hospital. “This milestone underscores our commitment to providing the highest quality care and access to state-of-the-art treatment for our patients.”

During a traditional ablation procedure, a catheter is guided to the interior of the heart and generates extreme temperatures – hot or cold – to destroy targeted areas in the heart associated with abnormal heart rhythms. The non-thermal ablation option however, relies on tissue selective, non-thermal electric fields to ablate heart tissue and avoid damage to surrounding structures, reducing surgery time by up to an hour. This reduction is crucial as it minimizes patient exposure to anesthesia, lowers the risk of complications and expedites recovery.

“We are very lucky to get this technology early on,” said Satish Goel, MD, a clinical electrophysiologist who performed the hospital’s first procedure. “This innovative approach is safer and, in my experience, faster than traditional ablation procedures. This is a major technological advancement in the treatment of atrial fibrillation that prioritizes patient safety, comfort and wellbeing.”

Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs when the top two chambers of the heart, the atria, beat too fast and with an irregular rhythm (fibrillation). AF, the most common type of arrhythmia, can decrease the heart’s pumping efficiency, which can cause blood cells to pool and stick together, forming clots in the heart, and lead to stroke. People with AF have a higher risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications than those with normal heart rhythms. AF affects nearly two percent of the general population worldwide, and approximately seven million Americans live with this arrhythmia. An estimated 38 million people globally have AF.