On September 28, 2024, the eve of World Heart Day, Emirates Hospital Jumeirah marked a significant milestone for Emirates Hospitals Group's 20-year healthcare legacy by becoming the first private sector hospital in the UAE to adopt 'Pulse Field Ablation' technology for Atrial Fibrillation treatment in Dubai.
Atrial fibrillation, or 'AFib,' is a heart condition where the upper chambers of the heart (atria) beat irregularly and rapidly, disrupting the heart's normal pumping function. While not typically life-threatening, AFib can lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart failure due to the weakening of the heart muscle over time.
Pulse Field Ablation (PFA) Technology: Faster, Safer Procedures with Fewer Complications
Dr. Khaled Sabeh, a US board-certified consultant cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist who heads the Electrophysiology Unit at Emirates Hospital Jumeirah, elaborates on this new technology. "As an Electrophysiologist, I specialize in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders like arrhythmia. Patients often seek my help when they experience symptoms such as fatigue, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, or syncope (fainting). There are various types of heart rhythm disorders, and in this case, we are dealing with Atrial fibrillation. Treatment options for AFib depend on the duration of the events, the severity of the symptoms, and the patient's comorbidities. The most common treatments are medications and a procedure known as ablation. Cardiac ablation typically uses heat or cold energy to eliminate abnormal heart tissue causing irregular heart rhythms.
For this particular patient, we utilized a newer third type of energy called pulse field ablation. Pulsed field ablation is a non-thermal method that destroys abnormal heart tissue using short, high-voltage electrical pulses."
Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms & Treatment
"The patient initially came to me with recurrent episodes of atrial fibrillation, experiencing symptoms like palpitations, fatigue, and dizziness, which significantly affected their quality of life. The optimal treatment for this patient was to restore normal rhythm and prevent recurrence, usually achieved through ablation, either via cryoablation or thermal techniques. While the complications of these techniques are minimal and they are effective options, PFA – Pulse Field Ablation is the safer choice as it targets only the specific heart tissue we aim to treat, sparing surrounding tissues. It is also an extremely rapid technique compared to other ablation procedures, resulting in less hospital time for the patient."
Advantages of Pulse Field Ablation Treatment for Patients in Dubai
• Precision & Selectivity: PFA can target specific heart tissue without harming surrounding healthy tissues.
• Speed: PFA procedures are often completed more swiftly than traditional ablation techniques, reducing the time patients spend in the cath lab and speeding up recovery.
• Reduced Risk of Complications: Studies suggest that the targeted nature of PFA is associated with a lower risk of complications compared to traditional ablation.
