A new method for treating atrial fibrillation – electroporation supported by a 3D imaging system – has been introduced by doctors at the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław. This is the first center in the region to use this method for treating heart rhythm disorders.
Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias, often manifesting as palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. It also significantly increases the risk of stroke.
According to University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław spokesperson dr. Tomasz Król, the hospital is among a select group of centers in Europe and the only one in Lower Silesia to have implemented 3D-guided electroporation for atrial fibrillation.
Dr. Krzysztof Nowak, coordinator of the Cardiac Rhythm Disorders Department at the UCH Heart Disease Institute, explained that electroporation, a method of “non-thermal” ablation of tissues with an ultra-short flow of high-voltage electric current, has been used at USK for almost two years. “Until now, catheter navigation within the heart was guided primarily by fluoroscopy, using X-rays, sometimes supplemented by three-dimensional maps generated by other systems. The upgraded technology now allows us to visualize the heart in 3D with a very high degree of precision and navigate it to the millimeter without using X-rays,” said Dr. Nowak.
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. A catheter is inserted through the femoral vein into the right atrium, then advanced to the left atrium, where arrhythmia-generating tissue is located.
“With ablation catheters compatible with the 3D imaging system, we can clearly identify the exact origin of the arrhythmia on a three-dimensional screen,” explained Dr. Stanisław Tubek, an electrophysiologist at the UCH Invasive Electrophysiology Lab. He added that the system uses electrical signals recorded from the atrium to generate a color-coded map showing how the electrical impulses travel through the cardiac tissue.
“The system precisely tracks the position of the catheters within the heart, allowing the operator to navigate to the arrhythmia source based on the generated map. It’s much like driving with GPS navigation,” said Dr. Tubek. “Our task is to reach the target safely and effectively.”
Once the catheter is accurately positioned, the operator ablates the tissue responsible for the arrhythmia. Unlike traditional methods such as RF (radiofrequency) or cryoablation, electroporation – also known as pulsed field ablation – avoids thermal damage to surrounding heart structures.
Photo credit: Tomasz Król/University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław
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