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A new treatment has come to patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) living in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., as TidalHealth Peninsula Regional is now the first in the area to offer the innovative robotic convergent procedure. TidalHealth is also one of only 14 medical centers in the country to offer the groundbreaking treatment.

AFib is the most common cardiac rhythm disorder. It’s caused by rapid electrical signals in the heart that disrupt blood flow, and it can lead to a stroke. One treatment is a catheter-based ablation, in which a small tube is threaded through the groin to the heart to scar the inner surface of the heart, thereby disrupting or blocking the abnormal electrical signals. But if a patient doesn’t respond to that treatment, the robotic convergent procedure uses a small chest incision to scar the heart’s outer surface. The surgeon also separates the left atrial appendage from the left atrium, thereby preventing blood clots that may lead to a stroke. This minimally-invasive procedure means that patients experience less pain, smaller incisions and faster recovery times.

“This is a significant step forward in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, using this team approach to enhance precision and minimize risk” said cardiovascular surgeon Fawad Khan, M.D., of TidalHealth Cardiovascular Surgery. “We’re thrilled to be the first in the region to offer this advanced procedure. It allows us to provide our patients with the best possible outcomes, using the latest technology to address heart rhythm problems in the most effective way possible.”

about the procedure.