Saint Agnes offers new procedure to treat abnormal heart rhythms

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Patients with heart problems have a new option to correct the disorder and improve their quality of life.

Saint Agnes Medical Center is offering a new procedure using FDA-approved technology called FARAPULSE, a Pulsed Field Ablation System.

"It's a new technology," said Dr. Jagroop Basraon. "It's a way for us to make lesions or scars in the heart to fix arrhythmias."

Dr. Basraon has treated about 25 patients since April with FARAPULSE.

Cardiologists will guide a catheter to the patient's heart. The tip shapes into a basket and a flower then produces electrical pulses to essentially kill targeted cardiac muscle cells.

"It's the Holy Grail to be able to do a procedure benefit without causing any problems," Dr. Basraon explained.

Before FARAPULSE, hot or cold temperatures were used to destroy targeted areas. This comes with the risk of damaging other parts of the heart.

"We would see some narrowing of the veins," said Dr. Basraon. "We can sometimes cause holes in the heart and that you can perforate, and patients can die from that."

According to Saint Agnes, the hospital is the first in the Central Valley to offer FARAPULSE. Normally, patients would have to travel to Southern California or the Bay Area to get this type of technology.

"That long travel time could expose people to the risks of having to be transported or delayed in care," said Chief Medical Officer John Evanko. "That's not anything anybody would want."

Saint Agnes leaders said the hospital is dedicated to offering patients more advanced procedures to achieve better outcomes.

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