Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center First in Texas Medical Center to Treat Patients with Breakthrough Heart Technology

HOUSTON, TX -- Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is the first hospital in the Texas Medical Center to treat patients with the new Medtronic PulseSelect™ Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) System that uses PFA – a breakthrough technology that uses pulsed electric fields to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) – for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the PulseSelect PFA system effectively, efficiently, and safely treats both paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation.

AF is a progressive condition that affects more than 59 million people worldwide. Without early intervention, AF can progress, becoming more sustained over time. Progression of AF is associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular hospital admissions, heart failure, and mortality, along with a reduced quality of life.

“With a renowned legacy of advancing heart care, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center continues to deliver the latest and most innovative cardiovascular treatments available,” said Brad Lembcke, MD, president of Baylor St. Luke’s. “We are pleased to be the first in the Texas Medical Center to treat patients with this new atrial fibrillation technology in alignment with the experts of Baylor College of Medicine and The Texas Heart Institute.”

The PulseSelect PFA system delivers pulsed electric fields through an ablation catheter designed specifically to interrupt irregular electrical pathways in the heart that trigger AF. Current ablation technologies rely on thermal effects to target cardiac tissue and risk damage to additional collateral structures in the heart. PFA is a breakthrough ablation technology that uses pulsed electric fields to efficiently isolate the pulmonary veins for the treatment of AF. Because the mechanism of cell death is non-thermal, the risk of collateral structure damage is potentially lower.