University Hospital Galway has become the first public hospital in the country to employ the ‘Convergent Procedure’, a ground-breaking approach for treating atrial fibrillation (Afib), putting it at the pinnacle of heart surgery.

And Galway city resident, Sean Rankin, made his own little piece of history as the first patient to undergo the Convergent Procedure, which was carried out by Professor Alan Soo, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Dr Stephen Tuohy, Consultant Cardiac Electrophysiologist at UHG.

Sean who had been suffering from atrial fibrillation for many years revealed that he sought treatment for his condition following the success of his lung cancer surgery with Professor Soo.

“I’m doing very well and I am very pleased with the way everything went,” said Sean, who lives in Newcastle close to UHG.

“I’d like to express my since appreciation to Professor Alan Soo, Dr Stephen Tuohy and my GP Dr Richie Baggott for everything they’ve done for me.  This is a new beginning for me and I look forward to the future,” he added.

Atrial fibrillation affects more than one to two per cent of the population  but with increasing incidence in the over 65s – and if left untreated, can lead to blood clots, stoke, heart failure and other heart-relation complications.

Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Professor Alan Soo explained that Afib is a condition where your heart beats irregularly (arrhythmia), usually much faster than normal and this is caused by disruptions in the electrical signals that regulate your heart, making it harder for the upper and lower chambers of the heart to work together.

“While medication or catheter ablation can successfully treat Afib, some patients’ symptoms recur or worsen,” he said.

“Now with the convergent procedure, such patients’ have another treatment option allowing  for minimal discomfort, lower risk of complications, faster recovery time and a shorter hospital stay.

“This minimally invasive procedure is a game changer for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and we are delighted to be the first public hospital in Ireland to offer this surgical procedure for patients with atrial fibrillation,” he added.

The procedure is performed by a Cardiothoracic Surgeon and a Cardiac Electrophysiologist, whereby radiofrequency energy is used to make ablations, or small lesions/burns on the heart that will effectively block the irregular electrical signals or heartbeat and it is one of the most effective surgical techniques in treating individuals with persistent atrial fibrillation.

“This is a first for University Hospital Galway, and we welcome this new treatment option for patients. It will significantly improve the patient experience, and we are delighted to have debuted this innovation here in Galway,” added Hospital Manager Chris Kane.

Pictured: Professor Alan Soo, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at University Hospital Galway with patient Sean Rankin from Newcastle in Galway City. Sean was the first patient to undergo the ‘Convergent Procedure’ at University Hospital Galway.