St. Helena Hospital's Cardiac Surgery Team Completes Groundbreaking Surgical Procedure in Atrial Fibrillation Study Marking a Historic First in the Nation

St. Helena Hospital is proud to announce that its cardiac surgery team successfully performed the first U.S. procedure in the NANOCLAMP AF Study, a groundbreaking clinical trial evaluating a new technology for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The study is sponsored by Pulse Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLSE), developer of the novel nPulse™ Cardiac Surgical System, which uses nanosecond Pulsed Field Ablation™ (nsPFA™) energy.

The first U.S. procedure was performed by Dr. Gan Dunnington, cardiothoracic surgeon at St. Helena Hospital, alongside Dr. Aaron Kime and the hospital’s advanced cardiac surgical team. The hospital was the first site in the nation to enroll and treat a patient following FDA Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) approval of the study.

“It’s an honor for St. Helena Hospital to be the first hospital in the United States to perform this innovative procedure,” said Dr. Dunnington. “We’ve long been at the forefront of advancing cardiac care, and this technology has the potential to transform how we treat atrial fibrillation. The nPulse Cardiac Clamp was intuitive to use, and the treatment speed and precision exceeded expectations.”

The NANOCLAMP AF Study is a multicenter, prospective clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the nPulse Cardiac Surgical System for patients undergoing concomitant surgical procedures. The system utilizes nonthermal nanosecond electrical pulses to create precise, full-thickness ablation lines in a fraction of the time required by conventional thermal technologies – potentially improving outcomes and expanding treatment access for patients with AF.

“This milestone marks another step forward in our commitment to bringing leading-edge treatments to the Napa Valley and beyond,” said Dr. Steven Herber, President of St. Helena Hospital. “We are proud to collaborate with industry innovators and clinical researchers to advance cardiac surgery and provide our patients with the safest, most effective options available.”

St. Helena Hospital has a long-standing reputation as a regional leader in cardiac surgery and innovation, offering advanced technologies and nationally recognized cardiovascular care close to home.