German Electrophysiology Expert Visits Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital to Share Insights on Pulsed Field Ablation Technology

Recently, Professor Kars Neven, a renowned expert in the field of electrophysiology from Germany's Alfried Krupp Hospital in Essen, visited the Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (hereinafter referred to as "XMCH"). His visit focused on advanced international pulsed field ablation (PFA) technologies, during which he engaged in academic discussions and provided hands-on guidance. He spoke highly of the hospital's world-class medical facilities, efficient service philosophy, forward-looking discipline planning, and international vision. He expressed admiration for the hospital's rapid development and expressed hope for deepened future collaboration in the field of electrophysiology.

Professor Kars Neven possesses unique insights and extensive experience in the application of PFA technology. As one of the first experts in Europe to use the novel atrial fibrillation (AF) interventional treatment known as FARAPULSE pulsed field ablation, he has performed over 1,000 procedures and participated in the development and clinical research of various PFA products. According to him, his center now uses the FARAPULSE technology as the first-line treatment for initial AF ablation procedures, with individual operation times shortened to just 40–60 minutes.

During the surgical demonstration, the XMCH team performed the FARAPULSE PFA procedure on a 63-year-old patient with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The patient had also been diagnosed with hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. For a long time, they suffered from rapid and irregular heartbeat, palpitations, poor physical endurance, fatigue, and occasional dizziness or even fainting, leading to significantly reduced quality of life. In the procedure, the pulsed ablation catheter, shaped like a basket and petal, was inserted into the pulmonary vein orifice to perform vestibular pulsed ablation. The ablation itself took only about 20 minutes, greatly reducing the overall surgical time, with the patient experiencing no discomfort. Postoperative substrate mapping confirmed significant ablation effects, and the patient’s vital signs were normal, with no complications or adverse events reported.

Professor Li Qiang, Chief Physician of Cardiology at XMCH, pointed out that atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias in clinical practice. With continuous updates in medical device technology, AF treatment has now entered a new stage. Pulsed field ablation is an emerging interventional therapy for AF. Compared with traditional radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, or surgical maze procedures, it features myocardial tissue-specific ablation, which helps avoid damage to adjacent structures such as the esophagus or phrenic nerve, thus significantly reducing the risk of complications. He noted that this exchange not only promoted the application of cutting-edge technologies but also laid a solid foundation for long-term collaboration between China and Germany in the field of cardiovascular medicine.