Unlike conventional radiofrequency ablation (RFA) which uses heat to ablate cardiac tissue, PFA uses pulsed electric fields to selectively disrupt cell membranes in the targeted cardiac tissue. The pulsed electric fields are generated using needle-like ablation electrodes that are inserted into the heart to deliver high-intensity, short-duration electric pulses. These pulses disrupt the cell membranes through electroporation without generating heat.

How Pulsed Field Ablation Works

When the ablation electrodes are placed in contact with cardiac tissue, short pulses of high voltage electricity in the range of hundreds to low thousands of volts are delivered through the electrodes. These pulses create small pores or holes in the cell membranes of the targeted cardiac cells through electroporation. The electroporated cells undergo apoptosis or programmed cell death without causing thermal damage to surrounding tissues. This non-thermal mechanism of ablation allows for more precise tissue disruption without collateral damage. The pulses can be precisely delivered to reshape cardiac conduction pathways and electrically isolate arrhythmogenic substrates.

‣ Pulsed Field Ablation - A Promising Emerging Technology for Cardiac Ablation Procedures: https://www.coherentmi.com/blog/pulsed-field-ablation-a-promising-emerging-technology-for-cardiac-ablation-procedures-141