In a significant advancement in cardiac care, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass has successfully performed a Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) procedure using Boston Scientific’s FARAPULSE™ Pulsed Field Ablation System for the first time in Eastern India to treat atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart rhythm disorder. The procedure was performed on a 72-year-old woman patient, Sima Dey (name changed), a homemaker from New Garia, Kolkata, whose husband is a retired Indian Railways employee. The landmark procedure was successfully performed by Dr. Ashesh Halder, Consultant – Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass, with the expertise and support of Dr. Dilip Kumar, Director & Senior Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass. This case study was presented at the press conference held today in the presence of Dr. Rabindra Nath Chakraborty, Head of the Department- Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass; Dr. Debopriyo Mondal, Consultant – Interventional Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass; Dr. Rana Rathor Roy, Consultant – Interventional Cardiology & Lead Consultant – Clinical Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass along with other senior clinicians from the Department of Cardiology.

Sima Dey (name changed) had been experiencing recurrent episodes of palpitations for nearly 20 years. While the episodes were initially infrequent, they had become increasingly severe over the past seven months, during which she required three hospital admissions due to episodes complicated by heart failure, with one episode also resulting in loss of consciousness. Despite multiple medications to control her abnormal heart rhythm, her symptoms continued to recur. Considering the severity and recurrence of her condition, she was advised to undergo Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) which is a newer, non-thermal treatment for abnormal heart rhythms that uses short electrical pulses instead of heat or extreme cold. In atrial fibrillation, abnormal electrical signals commonly originate around the pulmonary veins (blood vessels carrying blood from the lungs to the heart). PFA creates a controlled electrical barrier around these areas, known as pulmonary vein isolation, to prevent the abnormal signals from triggering AF. Unlike conventional ablation techniques that use heat (radiofrequency ablation) or extreme cold (cryoablation), PFA uses electrical energy to target the heart tissue without relying on thermal energy, offering physicians another advanced approach for treating atrial fibrillation. The procedure was completed successfully, and she was discharged two days later. She is currently recovering well.

Speaking about the procedure, Dr. Ashesh Halder, Consultant – Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass, said, “Pulsed Field Ablation is a newer approach that allows us to treat atrial fibrillation without using heat or extreme cold. The technology enables us to precisely target the areas responsible for the abnormal rhythm while minimising the impact on the surrounding heart tissue. Being able to offer this advanced treatment at Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass is an important addition to our cardiac care capabilities and gives us another option to treat patients with complex rhythm disorders.”

Dr. Dilip Kumar, Director & Senior Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass, said, “For the patient, this was not just about occasional palpitations. After living with the problem for nearly two decades, the episodes had become much more frequent and severe, affecting her overall well-being and even leading to repeated hospitalisations. When medicines were no longer providing adequate control, we had to look at a treatment that could address the problem more effectively. In her case, PFA offered us a suitable option, and we are happy to see her recovering well after the procedure.”

Sharing his mother’s journey, Rakesh Dey (name changed), son of Sima Dey (name changed), said, “Watching my mother go through these episodes over the years was difficult for our family, but the last few months were particularly worrying. She had to be hospitalised multiple times, and it was painful to see someone who had always been active struggle with her health. My brother, who is a GI Surgeon practising abroad, was also closely involved in the discussions. Once we understood the PFA procedure and its potential benefits in my mother’s case, we discussed it internally and decided to go ahead with it. She spent 17 days in the hospital during this period, but we are grateful that she has recovered well and is now back home. She is currently taking adequate rest and recovering gradually. The care and reassurance we received from Dr. Ashesh Halder, Dr. Dilip Kumar and the entire team at Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass, gave us immense confidence throughout this journey. As a family, seeing her recover and regain her strength is what matters most to us.”