MILLCREEK/Salt Lake City, Utah – St. Mark’s Hospital, the centerpiece of MountainStar Healthcare, is the first hospital in Utah to use a new pulsed field ablation technology. A pulsed field ablation, or PFA, is a minimally-invasive intervention for treating patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, or AFib. The first Utah procedure was performed at St. Mark’s Hospital in March 2024 by Dr. John Day, a cardiologist at the Heart Center at St. Mark’s and the physician executive of Cardiovascular Services for MountainStar Healthcare.
Dr. Day joined FOX13’s The PLACE Tuesday to discuss the new procedure and the success he’s seen in the over 120 cases he has already performed.
St. Mark’s Hospital is proud to be a leader in Utah for cutting-edge cardiovascular care as this new intervention is expected to be widely available soon in the U.S.
In treating AFib, pulsed-field ablation utilizes a controlled electric field to selectively ablate cardiac tissue that is causing irregular heartbeats. This new treatment method has been shown to minimize the risk of damage to surrounding tissues. This is because pulsed field ablation disables cardiac cells using electricity rather than extreme temperatures used in the traditional approaches. Further, the technology allows ablation procedures to be performed in less time.
“Pulsed field ablation represents the future of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. The significantly shorter procedure times and notable safety benefits represent a substantial improvement over traditional methods,” said Dr. Day.
A-Fib, the most common type of heart rhythm disorder, causes a variety of symptoms, including fast or chaotic heartbeat, fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain, and increases a person's risk of stroke. Ablation is one of several procedural and medical interventions used to control A-Fib symptoms and reduce stroke risk.
Dr. Days says one in four Americans will get AFib.
Risk Factors
Things that can increase the risk of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) include:
· Age.
· Caffeine, nicotine or illegal drug use.
· Drinking too much alcohol.
· Changes in the level of body minerals.
· Family history.
· Heart problems or heart surgery.
· High blood pressure.
· Obesity.
· Other long-term health conditions.
· Some medicines and supplements.
· Thyroid disease.
Cardiovascular Services
The Heart Center at St. Mark’s offers a variety of services for people with heart conditions, including but not limited to:
· Convergent ablation
o The center’s specialists are the first in Utah to work together to use convergent ablation as an option for people with the type of atrial fibrillation, or AFib, that is the most difficult to treat.
o These heart specialists are among only a limited number nationwide who are combining their expertise to offer one of the most advanced AFib treatments available today. Their team approach is improving the lives of patients with the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia who have not responded well to catheter ablations and other treatments.
· Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
o The cardiovascular care team is now performing a lifesaving procedure for patients with aortic valve stenosis who can't have traditional open-heart surgery. This advanced TAVR procedure is performed in only a very small number of hospitals in the U.S. In fact, at last report, St. Mark’s Hospital is proud to be one of only three locations in Utah offering this option.
· Arrhythmia treatments
· Cardiac catheterization & devices
· Coronary calcium scan
· Left atrial appendage closure
· Lipid management (cholesterol)
· Pacemaker implants
· Stress echocardiogram
· Transesophageal echocardiography
The Heart Center at St. Mark's cares for patients who have heart diseases and other problematic issues or conditions. The center’s highly trained team of cardiologists are experts in treating many cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. The center provides this care as an accredited Chest Pain Center.
The Heart Center at St. Mark's offers cardiovascular consults within 24 hours. For immediate access for appointments and provider questions, call (801) 288-4400.
About Dr. John D. Day
Dr. John Day graduated from medical school at Johns Hopkins University. He did his residency in internal medicine, cardiology, and cardiac electrophysiology fellowship training at Stanford University. Dr. Day is board certified in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology.
Dr. Day previously served as president of the Heart Rhythm Society and was the past president of the Utah chapter of the American College of Cardiology. He is recognized as an international thought leader, regularly speaking at Atrial Fibrillation medical conferences around the world about the latest developments in the treatment of AFib.
Dr. Day currently serves as the physician executive of cardiovascular services for MountainStar Healthcare (HCA Healthcare’s Mountain Division). He has a large clinical practice focusing on Atrial Fibrillation at St. Mark's Hospital. Dr. Day warmly welcomes new Atrial Fibrillation patients into his practice.
The Heart Center at St. Mark’s Hospital
1160 East 3900 South Suite 2000
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
For more information, visit StMarksHeart.com or call (801) 266-3418.
To read more about the procedure, click here.
