University Hospitals Dorset leads the way in the south with new technology for heart operations

The cardiology team at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) is using a revolutionary new technology for atrial fibrillation procedures, cutting operation times for patients by half.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm abnormality seen in the UK affecting over one million people. It can be an extremely disabling condition, commonly causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, tiredness, palpitations and a significant reduction in exercise tolerance.

Previously, cardiologists have treated AF through targeting and abolishing the electrical signals in the heart responsible for triggering the arrhythmia, by burning or freezing them away. The procedure carries a small risk of causing damage to surrounding areas, such as the oesophagus, or important veins leading from the lungs to the heart. With Boston Scientific’s new Pulsed Field Ablation (Farapulse) technology, non-thermal energy is used to target the same signals, in a tissue specific manner, minimising any external collateral damage.

The procedure now takes around an hour, reducing by half the time it would previously typically take, and UHD is one of just four hospitals in the country currently using the technology, and the first on the south coast.

Dr Richard Bala, consultant in cardiac electrophysiology, said: “This technology is great news for our local population. Atrial fibrillation can cause real difficulties to people’s lives and we see a variety of patients of all ages from 18 to 80 and beyond with the condition. The treatment is quicker, safer and as effective and we hope the higher number of patients we can see and treat in a day will considerably reduce waiting times.”

Dr Bala added: “Since starting, we have already treated a number of patients, and the initial results are looking very good. Additionally, when patients are woken up from general anaesthetic, they are not reporting any adverse effects either from the procedure, whereas they may have felt some discomfort before. We are very happy and excited to see these benefits in our patients.”