Hybrid AF™ Therapy
WTH Jackson-Madison County General Hosptial is one of the hospitals in the country to offer Hybrid AF Therapy. The FDA-approved Hybrid AF Therapy with the Epi-Sense Device treats patients with long-standing persistent AF, historically, the most challenging patients suffering from atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation is a sizeable and growing health problem
Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm caused by erratic electrical signals in the heart. Normally the heart creates regular electrical signals that are essential for the heart to beat in a
steady, rhythmic way, and pump blood to all parts of the body. Sometimes the electrical signals become irregular, and the heart beats abnormally.
Atrial fibrillation is the most commonly diagnosed arrhythmia in the United States. In fact, 1 in 4 adults over 40 will develop AF in their lifetime. 1 AF affects over 33 million people worldwide, 2
and about 8 million people in the United States. 3 Approximately 45% of AF patients have long-standing persistent AF, affecting more than 3.5 million patients in the United States. 3
Importance of Treatment
Atrial fibrillation is a progressive disease, so it's best if patients are treated before it progresses
and causes other health problems. 4 Left untreated, AF is associated with:
5x increase in stroke risk
5x increase in heart failure development
Atrial fibrillation also increases risk for:
- Chronic fatigue
- Decreased activity levels
- Diminished quality of life
Hybrid AF Therapy combines endocardial RF ablation, which treats the inside the heart, with epicardial ablation, which treats the outside of the heart. In this way Hybrid AF Therapy targets two key areas where AF originates, the pulmonary veins and the posterior (back) wall of the heart. This therapy can provide a lasting solution to long-standing persistent Afib. Eighteen months after treatment patients in the Hybrid AF Therapy arm of the CONVERGE trial are 2x more likely to be free of AF (vs catheter ablation alone) with no additional anti-arrhythmic drugs.9
