Lawrence + Memorial Hospital offers new procedure for atrial fibrillation

New London, CT (Dec. 2, 2025) – Cardiac electrophysiologists at Lawrence + Memorial (L+M) Hospital recently performed a new procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib) – the most common abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) and the second most common cardiac condition in the United States, affecting more than eight million people. 

Earlier this month, Ralph DeBiasi, MD, an electrophysiologist at the L+M Heart and Vascular Center and an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at Yale School of Medicine, treated the hospital’s first patients using pulsed field ablation (PFA) – a minimally invasive procedure that effectively treats atrial fibrillation with faster procedure times than traditional methods.  

Ablation is a medical procedure that uses energy delivery through a small catheter in the heart to eliminate abnormal electrical signals in the heart muscle. The PFA procedure can be performed in 1-2 hours compared with longer procedure times for traditional radiofrequency or cryoablation procedures. For the patient, the PFA procedure can also involve less inflammation and potentially reduce recovery time. 

PFA uses short electrical pulses to ablate cells that are triggering atrial fibrillation, without damaging surrounding structures. These pulses disrupt the electrical signals in the atria, stopping the AFib episodes. 

“Pulsed field ablation represents an exciting advancement in the treatment of atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. DeBiasi. “This technology allows us to treat patients more efficiently, with less impact on surrounding tissue, and potentially faster recovery times. Our goal is always to provide the safest and most effective care for patients living with AFib.” 

Approximately 1 in 4 adults over the age of 40 are at risk for developing AFib. Despite these projections, about one-third of patients with AFib are not aware they have the condition, and AFib often goes unrecognized until the onset of complications. Catheter ablation is a safe and effective procedure when drugs don’t work to help restore the heart’s incorrect electrical signals, which cause an abnormal heart rhythm. AFib is one of the most common abnormal heart rhythms that can have life-threating consequences if left untreated. Common symptoms of AFib include palpitations, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, lightheadedness and extreme fatigue. Some people with AFib have no symptoms at all and may only be diagnosed during a routine checkup. If you experience symptoms, especially chest pain or fainting, it is important to seek medical attention by contacting your healthcare provider or calling 911.  

Pulsed field ablation is also offered by the Heart and Vascular Center at Bridgeport, Greenwich and Yale New Haven hospitals. 

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit, 308-bed general and acute care hospital providing patient care to medical, surgical, pediatric, psychiatric and obstetrical patients in southeastern Connecticut and southern Rhode Island since 1912. Lawrence + Memorial offers cardiac acute, step-down and rehabilitation programs and is the only eastern Connecticut hospital that performs emergency and elective angioplasty. www.lmhospital.org