MountainView Hospital first in Nevada to conduct a PFA heart procedure

MountainView Hospital is the first hospital in Nevada to conduct a Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA), a new minimally-invasive intervention for patients suffering from AFib treatment.

The procedure was done by Dr. Niuton Koide, Las Vegas Heart Associates, and Dr. Erik Sirulnick, Nevada Cardiology Associates, in the MountainView Hospital catherization lab. PFA is a technology that uses electrical pulses to kill targeted cardiac muscle cells, creating scar tissue that blocks the faulty electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation, commonly referred to as AFib.

In treating AFib, pulsed field ablation utilizes a controlled electric field to selectively ablate cardiac tissue that is causing irregular heartbeats. This new treatment method has been shown to minimize the risk of damage to surrounding tissues. This is because pulsed field ablation disables cardiac cells using electricity rather than extreme temperatures used in the traditional approaches. Further, the technology allows ablation procedures to be performed in less time.

“Treating atrial fibrillation with new therapies like PFA, allows physicians to perform the procedure more efficiently, reduce complications and benefit the overall health of our community,” said Hiral Patel, MountainView Hospital CEO. “We are pleased to be the first hospital in southern Nevada to provide this specialized heart care treatment.”

AFib, the most common type of heart rhythm disorder, causes a variety of symptoms including fast or chaotic heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain andincreases a person's risk of stroke. Ablation is one of several procedural and medical interventions used to control AFib symptoms and reduce stroke risk.

In addition to uncomfortable symptoms, if left untreated, atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Medications may help reduce the symptoms, however in many cases these medications are not enough to keep atrial fibrillation under control and may have serious side effects.