▲Professor Myung-Jin Cha (right) of the Division of Cardiology and her team are performing pulsed-field ablation on December 20.

Professor Myung-Jin Cha of the Division of Cardiology and her team successfully performed a new medical technique, pulsed-field ablation (PFA), in a recent operation. The technique facilitates safe treatment of atrial fibrillation while minimizing side effects.

Atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia, is a condition where the atria, the heart’s auxiliary pump, fails to contract properly and quivers rapidly. PFA involves placing a catheter at the site of atrial fibrillation and using pulsed fields to remove abnormal tissue. Utilizing high-energy electricity, the technique is not subject to temperature fluctuations and removes only cardiac tissue cells, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. It is considered a next-generation treatment as the procedure can be completed in about 1-2 hours and has few side effects. Since receiving FDA approval in January 2024, PFA has been actively used in the U.S. and Europe, demonstrating its safety with over 120,000 successful cases. In South Korea, the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency announced PFA as a new medical technology in December 2024.

A patient in his 70s named Kim underwent his first PFA on December 20, 2024. Suffering from severe palpitations, he had difficulty with daily life, but his symptoms did not improve despite medication. What was worse, he experienced side effects like dizziness. While worsening atrial fibrillation is known to increase the risk of stroke, he even had a history of stroke. After undergoing PFA, Kim was discharged the same day in good health, and his symptoms improved significantly.

Professor Myung-Jin Cha stated, “The number of atrial fibrillation patients is increasing with a growth in the elderly population. I believe PFA is promising as a good treatment option.”