April 20, 2026 –Delray Medical Center is the first hospital in Palm Beach County to complete a procedure using the new Abbott’s Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System (PFA) to treat AFib. Electrophysiologist Dr. Yoel Vivas performed the milestone procedure.

Approximately 12 million people in the United States over the age of 65 have AFib, a number expected to double over the next 20 years. People living with AFib face a fivefold increased risk of stroke, and AFib has been the  primary or a contributing cause of death for more than two decades in the United States ⁱⁱ.  When medication and other treatment options fail to work, many patients rely on cardiac ablation – a minimally invasive procedure to stop an irregular heart rhythm – to effectively treat the condition.

“Delray Medical Center continues to invest in some of the latest medical technology, including for our patient’s hearts,” said Delray Medical Center CEO, Heather Havericak. “Adding the Volt provides our physicians another tool to treat patients as effectively as possible, so they can get back to doing the things they love.”

“Atrial fibrillation and cardiac arrhythmias negatively impact the lives of millions in the United States and around the world. Beyond the daily strain it can cause through shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pain; patients with untreated arrhythmias are at an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. The growing adoption of pulsed field ablation technology delivers promise to these patients, and Abbott’s state-of-the-art system overcomes previous limitations with earlier generation PFA technologies,” said Christopher Piorkowski, M.D., chief medical officer of Abbott’s electrophysiology business.

Globally, physicians are increasingly turning to pulsed field ablation technology to improve the physician experience and, importantly, improve the lives of patients. Pulsed field ablation is different from thermal ablation — which has stood as the standard ablation method for AFib for decades — in that it safely disables the cardiac tissue causing a patient’s AFib using high energy electrical pulses rather than extreme temperatures. The technology allows ablation procedures to be performed with a lower risk of damage to surrounding tissues than thermal ablation.

About Delray Medical Center

Delray Medical Center, part of the Palm Beach Health Network, is a 536-bed acute care hospital, spanning 30 acres, employing over 1,700 employees, 700 physicians, serving southern Palm Beach County for over 40 years. As both a community hospital and state-designated Level I Trauma Center Delray Medical Center offers several specialized services including state-of-the art cardiac and vascular facilities, orthopedics, neurosciences, emergency care, and weight-loss surgery.

Pinecrest Rehabilitation and Outpatient Hospital at Delray Medical Center is the only state designated brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation program in the county by the State of Florida.  Delray Medical Center is also home to Fair Oaks Pavilion, a 66-bed adult psychiatry unit. For more information about our services, visit our website at www.palmbeachhealthnetwork.com.