Ramsay hospital first in NSW to debut Medtronic technology for heart rhythm disorders

Ramsay Health Care’s Westmead Private Hospital has become the first private hospital in New South Wales to introduce Medtronic’s Affera Mapping and Ablation System, giving patients access to one of the most advanced technologies for treating complex cardiac arrhythmias.

The milestone comes as heart rhythm disorders remain among Australia’s most prevalent cardiovascular conditions, with around one in four people diagnosed with an abnormal heart rhythm during their lifetime. Conditions such as atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of stroke by up to five times, heart failure and sudden cardiac death if left untreated.

Approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in November 2024, the Affera system integrates high-resolution three-dimensional cardiac mapping with dual-energy ablation capabilities. Its Sphere-9 catheter combines radiofrequency (RF) and pulsed field ablation (PFA) technologies in a single platform, enabling clinicians to both map and treat complex arrhythmias with greater precision. Medtronic secured the technology through its US$1 billion acquisition of Affera in August 2022.

Westmead Private Hospital cardiologist and electrophysiologist Professor Stuart Thomas said the introduction of the system represented a major advance in cardiac care for privately insured patients.

“Introducing Affera at Westmead Private Hospital means Australian patients can now access one of the most advanced heart rhythm treatment technologies available anywhere in the world,” Professor Thomas said. “Heart rhythm disorders affect a significant proportion of the community and as our population ages, the number of people requiring treatment for conditions such as atrial fibrillation is expected to continue growing, making access to advanced technologies like this increasingly important.”

“This technology may be one of the most significant advances we have seen in cardiac electrophysiology in recent years. It enables us to create highly detailed maps of the heart’s electrical activity and the potential to deliver treatment with exceptional precision,” he added.

The system’s ability to combine advanced mapping with both PFA and RF technologies in a single platform, provided clinicians with greater flexibility and the ability to tailor treatment to each individual patient. The device competes with J&J MedTech’s Varipulse and Boston Scientific’s Farapulse, which are already on the market.

“For patients living with atrial fibrillation and other complex heart rhythm disorders, this technology has the potential to improve treatment precision, reduce procedure times and ultimately deliver better outcomes,” he said. “The Affera system also has the potential to reduce reliance on prolonged X-ray imaging during complex procedures, which is beneficial for both patients and clinical teams.”

In reimagining healthcare across the entire patient journey, Health Industry Hub^TM is the only one-stop-hub uniting the diversity of the Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors to inspire meaningful change.

The Health Industry Hub^TM content is copyright protected. Access is available under individual user licenses. Please click here to subscribe and visit T&Cs here.