Atrial fibrillation (AF, or “A-Fib”) is the most common type of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. Often mistaken for normal heart palpitations or written off as the result of aging, AF usually increases in duration and severity over time if untreated. AF affects 2 million Americans and is responsible for one in four strokes among people over 80.

UAB Cardiovascular Institute electrophysiologists completed the first commercial procedure in the United States using first-of-its-kind ablation technology to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. The new technology, the Medtronic DiamondTemp™ Ablation system, is the first FDA-approved, temperature-controlled, irrigated radiofrequency ablation system with diamonds currently available to deliver ablations.