Pulse field ablation (PFA), an advanced technology to treat heart rhythm disorders, has been introduced at the Alwarpet and Vadapalani branches of Kauvery Hospital.

The technology is primarily used to treat atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder, which affects nearly 1 crore people in India and can lead to symptoms such as palpitations, breathlessness, heart failure, and an increased risk of stroke.

At a press meet on Monday, Deep Chandh Raja S., director of cardiac electrophysiology, Kauvery Hospital, said while PFA had been under research for nearly two decades, it gained widespread clinical use only in the last five years in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. He said PFA represented a major advancement over conventional radiofrequency and cryoablation procedures, offering a faster, safer, and minimally invasive treatment option.

A recent procedure performed at Kauvery Hospital was completed in about 45 minutes, compared to the longer duration typically associated with earlier techniques. Patients can usually be discharged within a day, according to Dr. Raja. He said the technology enabled improved patient outcomes and eliminated the need for open-heart surgery.

The PFA technology was launched in the presence of N.S. Sivakadaksham, veteran cardiologist, Iyappan Ponnuswamy, medical director, Kauvery Hospital, Rajaram Anantharaman, senior consultant interventional cardiologist, Kauvery Hospital, Mahesh Kumar, medical superintendent, Kauvery Hospital.

Dr. Sivakadaksham said as people lived longer, atrial fibrillation had emerged as a major health concern, leading to heart failure, stroke, breathlessness, and a poorer quality of life. He added that PFA offered a success rate of around 90%, with recurrence rates of only about 10%.