Mercy Medical Center’s Plumb Heart Center has become the first hospital in Iowa to use Abbott’s Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System, a recently FDA-approved technology for treating atrial fibrillation (aFib).
Electrophysiologist Dr. Mark Milton and the Plumb Heart Center team recently performed the procedures.
While pulsed-field ablation itself is not new to Iowa, Mercy is the first hospital in the state to use this specific technology, giving physicians and patients another option for treating AFib, the most common type of heart rhythm disorder.
Unlike traditional thermal ablation procedures, which use heat or extreme cold to treat irregular heart rhythms, pulsed-field ablation uses targeted electrical pulses. The approach is designed to treat affected heart tissue while reducing the risk of injury to nearby structures.
The Volt system’s design also conforms to each patient’s anatomy and reduces overall procedure time compared with traditional ablation methods.
“Pulsed-field ablation is an important advancement in the treatment of AFib, and the Abbott Volt system gives us another highly advanced tool for caring for patients,” Mr. Milton said. “This technology is designed to treat affected heart tissue while helping reduce risk to nearby structures, and it may allow for shorter procedure times. Our electrophysiology team has completed specialized training to bring this option to patients here in Iowa.”
AFib affects millions of Americans and can lead to serious complications, including stroke and heart failure, if left untreated.
More information is available at mercycare.org/afib.
Mercy Cedar Rapids is a Catholic healthcare system serving patients and families in Eastern Iowa. In addition to Mercy Medical Center, a fully accredited, 424-licensed-bed hospital in downtown Cedar Rapids, the system has an established network of specialty clinics and MercyCare primary and urgent care clinics throughout Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities. The hospital was Founded in 1900 by the Sisters of Mercy.
