(Photo provided) Memorial Health System has added a new procedure for treating atrial fibrillation.

Memorial Health System’s Department of Cardiology has announced the successful launch of the FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Ablation procedure.

On May 8, Cardiac Electrophysiologist Dr. Maninder Bedi led the health system’s electrophysiology team, including Dr. Christopher Kolibash and Dr. Marco Cavagna, in completing the first case.

According to a release from Memorial, FARAPULSE is the next generation of treatment for AFib – a common heart rhythm disorder that affects millions – with minimally invasive ablation therapy. Traditional thermal ablation techniques use extreme temperatures such as heat or freezing which can lead to tissue damage. FARAPULSE uses targeted electrical pulses to gently disrupt the heart tissue that causes irregular rhythms, helping to restore a normal heartbeat while persevering surrounding healthy tissue.

“This technology has been used extensively across the globe, and this safe and effective therapy will now allow cardiac electrophysiologists to treat more patients, reduce complications and benefit people with atrial fibrillation,” Bedi said.

Memorial Health System’s Department of Cardiology is among the first in Ohio to adopt the FARAPULSE system. Clinical studies show that 73% of patients treated with FARAPULSE remained free of AFib and off rhythm medications one year after the procedure, with a complication rate of less than 2.1%, the release said.

The procedure is ideal for patients with AFib who have not found relief through medication or lifestyle changes, the release said. Symptoms of AFib can include a fluttering or racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue and dizziness.

More information is available online at mhsystem.org/FARAPULSE. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 740-568-5207.