Innovations in cardiac electrophysiology take center stage at joint session
Professional societies work in tandem to share the most innovative developments in the space.
Transformative technologies are poised to reshape patient care via cardiac electrophysiology. Miguel Leal, MD, an associate professor of cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, is among a panel of clinicians sharing his insights into what’s coming. Leal will serve as a moderator of the joint session between the American Heart Association and the Heart Rhythm Society titled, “The Latest Innovations in Cardiac Electrophysiology: A Case-Based Approach (AHA Joint Session With Heart Rhythm Society).”
The session brings together two leading professional societies to spotlight cutting-edge developments in cardiac electrophysiology, including cardiac pacing and ablation therapies. Leal’s expertise highlights rapidly evolving technology that eliminates the need for traditional pulse generators and leads. These self-contained devices, smaller than traditional devices and resembling the size of a AAA battery, are implanted directly into the heart, reducing risks such as lead fractures, venous occlusion and chronic infections.
“It’s always great to see professional societies working together with the goal of spreading medical knowledge and advancing science in our field,” Leal said. “This session has a specific focus on addressing some of the most innovative developments in clinical cardiac electrophysiology, and they include technologies such as leadless cardiac pacing devices that can be used without the need for an old-fashioned pulse generator, without a traditional set of cables or wires connecting them to the heart.”
Another major focus of the session, he said, is pulsed field ablation (PFA), a novel energy modality approved by the Food and Drug Administration recently. Unlike traditional radiofrequency or cryothermal ablation, PFA uses high-frequency pulses to induce electroporation — perforating specific types of heart cells to prevent perpetuation of certain arrhythmias. Leal emphasized its safety, cardiac specificity and growing popularity among electrophysiologists.
The session will also address conduction system pacing, a technique that mimics the heart’s natural rhythm by having the pacemaker system target the left bundle branch area. Although leadless pacing offers many advantages, it cannot yet deliver this modality of “physiologic” pacing, making traditional leads still essential for certain patient populations.
“These are the two large pillars of cardiac pacing innovation today,” Leal said. “Leadless pacing and conduction system pacing each serve different patient needs.”
Attendees can expect to gain a deeper understanding of which patient populations benefit most from these technologies, supported by the latest clinical evidence. With millions of Americans affected by heart failure and conduction system disorders, the relevance of these innovations is vast, he said.
“This session will help clinicians individualize care,” Dr. Leal said. “It’s about knowing when to adopt new technologies and when traditional therapies may still be the best option.”
