Atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder characterized by rapid and irregular heartbeats, can lead to serious complications such as heart failure and strokes. The Cardiology department at the hospital, affiliated with the Canary Islands Government's Health Department, has successfully treated 175 patients with this condition using the pulsed field ablation (PFA) technique.
This technique, practiced at the hospital complex for two years, utilizes electrical impulses to selectively target affected heart tissue while preserving surrounding healthy cells. PFA is considered when conventional treatments fail to adequately control the arrhythmia.
A key benefit of PFA is the speed and safety of the procedure, resulting in a more comfortable recovery for the patient, with minimal post-operative pain and the possibility of discharge within hours of the intervention.
Prior to this alternative, common procedures included radiofrequency ablation, which uses heat to eliminate abnormal tissue, and cryoablation, which uses cold to freeze problematic areas.
Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent sustained cardiac arrhythmia, and its incidence is increasing with the progressive aging of the population. This disorder affects the heart's normal electrical function, hindering its proper pumping action.
