Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center first in U.S. to participate in trial for innovative mapping and pulsed field ablation system

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David's Medical Center recently became the first facility in the nation to participate in a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a next-generation mapping and pulsed field ablation system to treat patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation. Andrea Natale, M.D., F.H.R.S., F.A.C.C., F.E.S.C., executive medical director of TCAI and the global principal investigator for the trial, performed the first procedure.

Atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, affects millions of people globally. It occurs when the top two chambers of the heart beat too fast and with an irregular rhythm. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia with symptoms that last for seven days or fewer, while persistent atrial fibrillation is a sustained arrhythmia that lasts for more than a week. Early treatment of paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation can reduce the risk of blood clots, stroke and heart failure—and may prevent the disease from becoming permanent.

"Pulsed field ablation represents one of the most significant advancements in electrophysiology in decades, and this clinical trial will help physicians around the world better understand the safety and effectiveness of this technology," Dr. Natale said. "The Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute remains at the forefront of arrhythmia care, helping to advance technologies that will shape the future of electrophysiology."

The novel catheter system relies on electric fields to ablate targeted heart tissue without using the excess heat or cold used in traditional ablation, helping to reduce the risk of damage to surrounding structures. The system incorporates advanced 3D cardiac mapping technology that provides a detailed view of the heart's electrical activity, enabling physicians to visualize catheter position and tissue contact before and after the energy is delivered. During a traditional ablation procedure, a catheter is guided into the interior of the heart and uses extreme heat or cold to destroy tissue associated with abnormal heart rhythms, creating a greater chance that surrounding structures will be damaged.

TCAI is a state-of-the-art Electrophysiology Center that includes six labs equipped with advanced technology where a group of renowned cardiac electrophysiologists perform a high volume of the most complex electrophysiology procedures.