MercyOne Iowa Heart Center conducts 500th pulsed field ablation procedure to treat patients with AFib
December 5, 2024
MercyOne Iowa Heart Center celebrates its 500th pulse field ablation procedure.
Des Moines, Iowa; December 5, 2024 – MercyOne Iowa Heart Center continues to innovate in cardiovascular care for Iowansby providing the latest treatment for patients experiencing atrial fibrillation (AFib).
The center recently celebrated its 500th pulsed field ablation (PFA) procedure.
First performed by MercyOne Iowa Heart Center in March 2024, this groundbreaking treatment targets faulty tissues in the heart that are responsible forAFib, a common condition that occurs when changes in the heart’s tissues cause erratic electrical signals leading to an irregular and rapid heartbeat.
The center’s FarapulsePFA technology uses strong electrical pulses to disrupt faulty tissue and is much more selective for cardiac tissue, essentially eliminatingmany serious complications. Traditional ablation technologies are less selective and can result in negative side effects and longer recovery times.
“We've been able to approximately double the number of patients we can treat on a monthly basis,” said Jason Meyers,MD, electrophysiologist and physician quality lead at MercyOne Iowa Heart Center. “This innovative procedure is faster and lowers the overall wait times, greatly improving access to care and leading to better outcomes overall.”
“This is another example of MercyOne Iowa Heart Center leading the way in improving the health and quality of life for individuals in our communities through innovative and transformative heart therapies," said Hijinio Carreon, DO, Chief Medical Executive for MercyOne.
MercyOne Iowa Heart Center participated in the clinic research trials that helped develop and refine this safer, more efficient technology and bring it to Iowa. The Farapulse system received FDA approval in January 2024.
MercyOne Iowa Heart Center, founded in 1970 and a member of MercyOne, is one of the nation’s premier cardiovascular medicine practices. With clinics and offices in Des Moines, Ames, Ankeny, Carroll, Newton, Ottumwa and Webstery City, MercyOne Iowa Heart Center’s physicians and staff are committed to providing world-class heart care, research and prevention services to Iowa families. Learn more at IowaHeart.com.
About MercyOne
MercyOne is a connected system of health care facilities and services dedicated to helping people and communities live their best life. MercyOne’s care providers and staff make health the highest priority. The system’s clinics, medical centers, hospitals and affiliates are located throughout the state of Iowa and beyond. Headquartered in central Iowa, MercyOne is a member of Trinity Health (based in Livonia, Michigan) – one of the largest not-for-profit Catholic health care systems in the nation. Learn more at MercyOne.org.
About the FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Ablation System
The FARAPULSE PFA System is a unique new alternative to standard-of-care thermal ablation. A non-thermal approach for the treatment of drug-refractory, recurrent, symptomatic, paroxysmal (i.e., intermittent) atrial fibrillation (AF), it is proven to be an effective treatment option for patients while minimizing risks associated with thermal ablation.
During a traditional ablation procedure, a catheter is guided to the heart's interior. It generates extreme temperatures – hot or cold – to destroy targeted areas in the heart associated with abnormal heart rhythms. The FARAPULSE PFA System, however, relies on tissue selective, non-thermal electric fields to ablate heart tissue and avoid damage to surrounding structures.
Positive 12-month data from the pivotal ADVENT clinical trial – the first randomized clinical trial to directly compare the efficacy and safety of the system against standard-of-care ablation – found that therapy with the device was as safe and effective as conventional thermal ablation, with statistically shorter ablation times and a quicker learning curve for physicians. Additional real-world data from more than 17,000 patients in the MANIFEST-17K registry demonstrated continued real-world safety of the system, with no reports of permanent phrenic nerve palsy, pulmonary vein stenosis or esophageal injury.
About Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs when the top two chambers of the heart, the atria, beat too fast and with an irregular rhythm (fibrillation). AF, the most common type of arrhythmia, can decrease the heart’s pumping efficiency, which can cause blood cells to pool and stick together, forming clots in the heart, and lead to stroke. People with AF have a higher risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications than those with normal heart rhythms. AF affects nearly two percent of the general population worldwide1, and approximately seven million Americans live with this arrhythmia. An estimated 38 million people globally have AF
