UCHealth doctors conduct new atrial fibrillation procedure for first time in Colorado

A brand new procedure to treat atrial fibrillation is now being offered at several hospitals across Colorado after UCHealth in Loveland successfully completed the first procedure in the state. c

"Afib is becoming an epidemic," said Dr. Amar Trivedi, clinical cardiac electrophysiologist for UCHealth's Medical Center of the Rockies.

It is estimated that more than 10 million Americans will be diagnosed with Afib by 2030. Afib is an irregular and rapid heart rhythm.

Kerry Pabst, a Northern Coloradan, was recently diagnosed with Afib. The diagnosis came after his smart watch notified him of an increased heart rate while he was on vacation.

"It was running between 180 and 190 beats a minute," Pabst said.

Pabst was not only diagnosed but also told he should get a procedure done to rid of the issues. For years, the most common procedures involved either burning or freezing cells in the heart that are causing the afib. However, those procedures often resulted in other tissue unrelated to the afib being damaged as well.

Then, Pabst was contacted by UCHealth and Dr. Trivedi, who notified him that he could be the first person in Colorado to be treated with a new technology that was less invasive.

"We put this catheter inside the heart and we use it to deliver extremely large electrical impulses in a short period of time," Trivedi said. "This allows us to spare the surrounding vital structures and nerves around the heart."

Pabst said he felt it was destiny to be the first person to try the procedure following its approval in Colorado.

"This was something a higher power had a guiding hand in," Pabst said. "I just felt it was meant to be."

The procedure lasts between 70 and 120 minutes on average. The patient sleeps as doctors use computer screens to find their way into the heart through the groin area.

UCHealth's Medical Center of the Rockies provided CBS News Colorado with images from inside the operating room as Pabst was being treated.

"We go into the heart and destroy the tissue that triggers or starts up atrial fibrillation," Trivedi said.

Not only is the procedure less invasive and damaging, but it also results in quicker recovery times.

"I woke up feeling great. It was like coming out of a really nice nap," Pabst said. "It went really well for me. I'm happy with the results of it. I feel better."

Trivedi applauded his team and employer for being at the forefront of the medical providers in the region by quickly adapting to this new option.

"It shows we have the expertise and skill to bring these new technologies to the forefront," Trivedi said.

Trivedi encouraged those with Afib to seek doctor consultation as quickly as possible. He said studies have shown those who treat their conditions quicker have better success rates long-term.

He also encouraged those seeking treatment to consider finding a doctor who can complete the procedure with the new technology.

Pabst said he hoped being the first meant there would be millions to follow who could have better treatment.

"I hope others are able to benefit from this new procedure," Pabst said.