Madisonville, KY (August 15, 2024)- Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville is pleased to announce treatment of its first patient with the Medtronic PulseSelect™ Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System that uses PFA – a breakthrough technology that uses pulsed electric fields to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) – for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the PulseSelect PFA system effectively, efficiently, and safely treats both paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation.

AF is a progressive condition that affects more than 59 million people worldwide.^1-3 Without early intervention, AF can progress, becoming more sustained over time. Progression of AF is associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular admissions⁴, heart failure⁵, and mortality^4,6, along with a reduced quality of life⁷.

The PulseSelect PFA system delivers pulsed electric fields through an ablation catheter designed specifically to interrupt irregular electrical pathways in the heart that trigger AF. 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.
 
“AF is a growing cardiac concern worldwide and we are seeing more patients coming in looking for treatment,” said Dr. Muhammad Akram. “The PulseSelect PFA system – which is now FDA-approved - can provide patients with a treatment option that doesn’t cause unwanted injury to surrounding tissues like traditional ablation technologies – helping physicians put patient safety first. We are pleased to have treated our first patient with this new technology, and we look forward to helping advance the future of AF treatment by offering innovative solutions to the people of western Kentucky.”
 
If you or someone you know has AF, talk to your doctor to see if PFA is a possible treatment option. Risks may include serious complications and injuries to cardiac and other body structures. The PulseSelect™ PFA system should only be used by or under the supervision of a physician that performs pulsed field ablation procedures. For more information on the PulseSelect System, visit https://secure.medtronicinteract.com/PulseSelect_system.
 
 
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1. de Vos CB, Pisters R, Nieuwlaat R, et al. Progression from paroxysmal to persistent atrial fibrillation clinical correlates and prognosis. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010;55:725-31.
2. Proietti R, Hadjis A, AlTurki A et al. A Systematic Review on the Progression of Paroxysmal to Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: Shedding New Light on the Effects of Catheter Ablation. JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2015;1:105-115.
3. Roth GA, Mensah GA, Johnson CO et al. Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors, 1990-2019: Update From the GBD 2019 Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020;76:2982-3021.
4. Miyasaka Y, Barnes ME, Bailey KR, et al. Mortality trends in patients diagnosed with first atrial fibrillation: a 21-year community-based study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007;49:986-92.
5. Almeida ED, Guimaraes RB, Stephan LS, et al. Clinical Differences between Subtypes of Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter: Cross-Sectional Registry of 407 Patients. Arq Bras Cardiol 2015;105:3-10.
6. Lubitz SA, Moser C, Sullivan L, et al. Atrial fibrillation patterns and risks of subsequent stroke, heart failure, or death in the community. J Am Heart Assoc 2013;2:e000126.
7. Dudink E, Erkuner O, Berg J, et al. The influence of progression of atrial fibrillation on quality of life:a report from the Euro Heart Survey. Europace 2018;20:929-34.