Saint Francis Hospital Treats First Patient with Novel Atrial Fibrillation Treatment

William Gionfriddo, M.D., and the Electrophysiology Team recently completed the first PulseSelect Pulsed Field Ablation System procedure to treat atrial fibrillation.

“As we look to continuously improve the way we treat patients with AFib, Saint Francis is committed to utilizing the latest technological innovations that meet the needs of these patients,” said William Gionfriddo, M.D., Electrophysiologist, who performed the first PulseSelect procedure at Saint Francis. “By adding this offering to our toolbox, we look forward to helping advance the future of AFib treatment to people in the greater Hartford region.

AFib is a progressive condition that affects more than 59 million people worldwide. Without early intervention, AFib can progress, becoming more sustained over time. Progression of AFib is associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular-related hospital admissions, heart failure, and mortality, along with a reduced quality of life. AFib can cause symptoms like heart palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Those who have AFib are five times more likely to form blood clots and suffer a stroke.

The PulseSelect PFA system delivers pulsed electric fields through an ablation catheter designed specifically to interrupt irregular electrical pathways in the heart that trigger AFib. Current ablation technologies rely on thermal effects to target cardiac tissue and risk damage to additional collateral structures in the heart. PFA is a breakthrough ablation technology that uses pulsed electric fields to efficiently isolate the pulmonary veins for the treatment of AF. Because the mechanism of cell death is non-thermal, the risk of collateral structure damage is potentially lower.

For more information about the Atrial Fibrillation Center at Saint Francis Hospital, visit TrinityHealthOfNE.org/Cardio or call 860-714-7977.