Innovative Treatment at TMUH: Radiation-Free Cure for Arrhythmia Saves a Life

A groundbreaking treatment emerged at Taipei Medical University Hospital (TMUH), ushering in a new era for arrhythmia management.

Recently, a pregnant woman experiencing arrhythmia was admitted to TMUH with concerns about conventional treatments potentially affecting her unborn child. To address this, TMUH employed its cutting-edge 3D stereotaxic system to perform a revolutionary radiation-free electrocoagulation therapy.

A study published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) in 2022 revealed a heightened risk of arrhythmia in pregnant women compared to non-pregnant individuals. While medication could address the issue, concerns over potential adverse drug reactions in infants often lead patients to opt-out. Electrocoagulation therapy stands as an alternative, but it typically involves using an x-ray machine to guide electrophysiologic catheter placement. This exposes patients to radiation levels 300 times higher than those of a chest radiograph, far exceeding the recommended limits for infants set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Consequently, many patients endure the discomfort until after childbirth to avoid fatal risks.

TMUH’s radiation-free electrocoagulation therapy mitigates the radiation-associated risks while also eliminating the need for medical staff to operate under radiation exposure. This pioneering technique holds promise not only for expectant mothers but also for pediatric and cancer patients. TMUH aims to leverage this successful case to bring relief to a broader range of individuals in the future.