PIMS Launches World’s Latest Heart Rhythm Treatment

Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal has launched Pakistan’s first public-sector Pulsed Field Ablation program at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Under the program, four patients with atrial fibrillation were treated at PIMS using one of the world’s latest catheter ablation technologies. Atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AF, is the most common irregular heart rhythm and is associated with stroke and heart failure.

The program uses Boston Scientific’s Farapulse Pulsed Field Ablation System, introduced in Pakistan through its local partner, Ferozsons Laboratories Limited.

With the launch, PIMS has become the first public-sector hospital in the country to offer the latest-generation catheter ablation technology for atrial fibrillation and other complex heart rhythm disorders.

Unlike conventional radiofrequency and cryotherapy ablation, Pulsed Field Ablation uses ultra-short electrical pulses to target abnormal heart muscle cells responsible for irregular heart rhythms while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.

Experts say the technology reduces the risk of injury to the esophagus, phrenic nerve and pulmonary veins, shortens procedure time, and allows more patients to be treated safely.

The four patients treated under the program included 61-year-old Taj Muhammad from Islamabad, 53-year-old Riaz Ahmad from Islamabad, 63-year-old Riaz Ahmad from Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 28-year-old Ali Raza from Mardan.

They had been suffering from symptoms including recurrent palpitations, dizziness, chest heaviness, shortness of breath, and, in one case, recent loss of consciousness.

Kamal also inaugurated Phase I of the upgraded PIMS Cardiac Center and launched a Patient Facilitation Assistant Service in the Emergency Department.

Speaking at the ceremony, he said the initiatives were part of efforts to modernize healthcare services at the country’s largest public-sector tertiary care hospital.

He added that the Rs. 7.2 billion cardiac facility had been completed with an additional investment of Rs. 900 million and equipped with advanced cardiac technology to provide free treatment to eligible patients.