Forrest General Hospital Expands Treatment Options for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation with New Ablation System

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (JULY 17, 2025) Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a progressive disease that occurs when the heart's upper chambers beat out of rhythm. As a result, blood is not pumped efficiently to the rest of the body. AFib is the most common atrial arrhythmia, affecting nearly 60 million people worldwide, and is associated with serious complications including heart failure, stroke, and increased risk of death.

Forrest General Hospital is now offering a new and improved treatment, Medtronic’s Affera Mapping and Ablation System with Sphere-9 Catheter, for patients with AFib. Last week, Forrest General’s Heart and Vascular Services team successfully used this system, which was recently approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), for the first time. What makes the system special is that it is the first catheter that can both find the problem areas in the heart and treat them at the same time using heat energy.

The Medtronic system helps doctors treat each patient’s irregular heartbeat in a way that fits their needs. It uses different types of energy and special tools to find and fix fast heart rhythms. As more people are diagnosed with AFib, this system can help improve their health and quality of life—both mentally and physically.

“This system helps us find the problem, treat it, and confirm it’s been fixed — all with one tool,” said cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Diego Alcivar, MC, FACC. “This new technology makes the procedure safer and helps us treat AFib patients faster and more effectively. The system also enables us to customize treatment based on a patient’s needs during the procedure to correct fast, abnormal heart rhythms. This Affera system has the potential to provide a life-changing solution for people with AFib.”

For more information about Heart & Vascular services, visit forresthealth.org/heart.

ABOUT FORREST HEALTH

Forrest Health is a system of healthcare organizations formed to increase access to quality health care in south Mississippi. Forrest General Hospital is its flagship hospital. In addition to Forrest General, Forrest Health hospitals include: Highland Community Hospital, Picayune; Jefferson Davis Community Hospital & Extended Care Facility, Prentiss; Marion General Hospital, Columbia; Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home, Poplarville; Perry County General Hospital, Richton; and Walthall General Hospital, Tylertown. Forrest Health is also home to The Orthopedic Institute and Institute of Neuroscience, both in Hattiesburg, as well as a variety of healthcare clinics throughout its 19-county coverage area.