Resolute Baptist Hospital’s New OPAL HDx Mapping System Is Benefiting Patients with AFib, Heart Rhythm Disorders

Resolute Baptist Hospital in New Braunfels, Texas, part of Baptist Health System in San Antonio, has invested in the OPAL HDx Mapping System, a new, advanced technology to treat patients with AFib and related arrhythmias with more accuracy and efficiency.

An arrhythmia such as AFib is when the heart beats too slowly, too fast, or in an irregular way. AFib increases a person's risk for stroke, causing about 1 in 7 strokes.

The new mapping system uses a single catheter with a technology called FARAVIEW NAV that provides the physician with real-time 3D tracking and visuals of catheters as they are placed in the patient. The single catheter reduces the need for the doctor to change out tools during the operation, thus reducing the procedure time.

Shane Bailey, M.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex heart rhythm disorders in New Braunfels, is already treating patients at Resolute Baptist Hospital with the technology and is seeing the benefits. Dr. Bailey said the new technology has reduced the procedure time from 3-4 hours down to about 45 minutes.

In addition to shortening the length of the operation, the new tool reduces the risk of damaging heart tissue. “Together with the FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Ablation System (PFA), the OPAL HDx creates non-thermal heat when delivering energy to the heart, which protects the delicate tissues, nerves and blood vessels near the heart,” Dr. Bailey said. “This delivery method is an improvement from standard radiofrequency ablation, which burns parts of the heart, or cryoablation procedures, which freeze parts of the heart. Both come with a risk of damaging a patient’s nerves or esophagus,” added Dr. Bailey.

Dr. Bailey said the OPAL HDx Mapping System’s targeted PFA helps correct the electrical abnormalities in the heart and alleviates the abnormal rhythms patients experience with AFib. Patients tend to go home the same day after the treatment.

Genifer Rucker, CEO for Resolute Baptist Hospital, said this investment in new technology expands access to advanced heart care for the New Braunfels community.

“We are so pleased to offer advanced treatment for AFib and related heart arrhythmias so patients don’t have to travel far for this specialized treatment, “said Rucker. “This makes it easier to access care while staying connected to the people and community that matter the most to them.”

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is one of the most commonly treated heart disorders in America. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 12.1 million people in the U.S. will have AFib by the year 2050.

Some AFib symptoms include:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Heart palpitations (rapid, fluttering, or pounding)
• Lightheadedness
• Extreme fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

Find more information about cardiac treatment at Baptist Health System here.