Capital Health announced on Mar. 24 the addition of a new minimally invasive pulsed field ablation system at the Al Maghazehe Heart and Vascular Center, located at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. This expansion doubles the hospital’s capacity to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients who are candidates for ablation procedures.
The development is significant as AFib is becoming more common, increasing the need for effective treatments in local communities. Capital Health was previously the first provider to offer this procedure in Mercer and Lower Bucks counties when its Cardiac Electrophysiology team performed its initial pulsed field ablation at Regional Medical Center in March 2025.
“With the incidence of AFib on the rise, greater access to a safe and effective treatment like pulsed field ablation allows us to treat more patients in less time, with fewer complications, and less risk for damage to healthy structures near the targeted site,” said Dr. Scott Burke, medical director of Cardiac Electrophysiology and a board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiac electrophysiologist with Capital Health Cardiology Specialists. “The addition of our second pulsed field ablation system immediately doubles our capacity, which will go a long way to improving the well-being of communities across our region.”
Atrial fibrillation occurs when the heart’s upper chambers beat too quickly and irregularly, which can reduce pumping efficiency and increase risks such as stroke or heart failure. Traditional radiofrequency ablation uses thermal energy that may affect surrounding healthy tissue. The new pulsed field technology enables precise targeting using non-thermal electrical energy with lower risk to nearby structures.
The Cardiac Electrophysiology team performs these procedures at Al Maghazehe Heart and Vascular Center as part of Capital Health’s broader Heart and Vascular Institute offerings. The center opened in 2025 as an expansion of cardiovascular care services for the region—including advanced cardiac surgery, vascular surgery (both open and minimally invasive), cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology treatments for arrhythmias, and structural heart care addressing valve conditions or defects.
