Take me to St. Mark's Hospital: First patient to receive new A-fib treatment
75-year old Dan Heiner just didn't feel his normal self anymore. He actively engaged in life but was frequently tired and out of breath.
Dan Heiner didn’t feel like his normal self. At 75 years old, Dan actively engages in life. He often remodels homes and puts his heart into his projects and family time. But whatever was bugging him slowed his pace and caused him to feel miserable.
“I suffered from constant nausea, felt tired, and had some shortness of breath – I just didn’t have the ability to breathe like I used to,” Dan said.
After a couple of trips to his hometown hospital in Vernal, Dan underwent an EKG to test the electrical signals in his heart. That’s how he learned he was in atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), meaning his heart was beating in a chaotic, irregular manner that can commonly slow blood flow and increase the risk of stroke.
Becoming the first patient at St. Mark’s to receive pulsed field ablation
Upon learning about AFib, Dan immediately requested to see a cardiologist and was referred to St. Mark’s Hospital. While meeting with the experts at St. Mark’s meant a three-hour drive for Dan, he knew the Heart Center at St. Mark’s offered world-class, advanced heart treatments for complex cardiac conditions. Little did Dan know, he was about to be offered a special role in St. Mark’s innovative heart care.
Initially, Dan’s A-fib proved stubborn. Even after several rounds of electrical cardioversion, Dan’s heart could not be shocked into a regular rhythm. He needed an ablation. That’s when St. Mark’s heart experts proposed a new approach to ablation.
“They told me they were going to start a new ablation procedure at St. Mark’s and asked how I’d feel about being the very first person to have it done at St. Mark’s … I rely on my feelings in everything I do in this world, and I just felt so good about the idea when they told me about it. I was excited!” Dan said.
Dr. John Day, renowned cardiologist at St. Mark’s, explained the new pulsed field ablation technology would use electricity pulses to ablate the cardiac tissue that caused Dan’s irregular heartbeat. He also explained that the new, minimally invasive intervention avoided traditional uses of extreme temperatures, and thus reduced risks of damaging surrounding tissue.
“It sounded good to me, and I just wanted to get back to feeling normal,” Dan said. “I appreciated talking with Sherry Fisher, the patient coordinator, who taught me all about the ablation. She is a great asset! Plus, Dr. Day was down-to-earth, answered all my questions, and he didn’t use big terms that I couldn’t understand. I was ready.”
First pulsed field ablation patient says St. Mark’s put him first
On the day of the procedure, Dan walked into St. Mark’s with hope for the future and confidence in his heart team. Because the new pulsed field ablation technology takes less time than traditional ablations, Dan says the whole experience went quickly and smoothly.
“My experience was wonderful. Extraordinary! A total success!” Dan said. “The doctors and nurses were caring and friendly, and immediately afterward, I started feeling better. I say, ‘Take me to St. Mark’s Hospital’ because I have nothing but praise for them.”
After some recovery time and another conversation with Dr. Day, Dan returned to his home in Vernal the very afternoon of his procedure. He could feel substantial improvements, and others noticed, too.
“I was back to my normal self. I didn’t feel tired anymore! My body was getting the oxygen it needed. I could breathe and didn’t feel nauseous,” Dan said. “People were telling me I looked so good and that I had looked kind of gray before … and I told them about my experience and what Dr. Day did for me.”
With the return of Dan’s energy and gusto, he threw himself back into life … and another remodel. This time, it’s a bathroom and in his own home. It seems the pulsed field ablation remodeled his heart and restored his rhythm, and Dan plans to keep the remodels rocking.
The Heart Center at St. Mark's Hospital offers cardiovascular consults within 24 business hours! For immediate access to appointments and provider questions, call (801) 266-3418.