Steady Beat, Healthy Future
77-Year-Old Finds Relief from Atrial Fibrillation with Groundbreaking Farapulse Procedure
PIH Health patient Rodolfo Legaspi and his wife
“I’m incredibly grateful to Dr. Bhandari and PIH Health for the expert treatment I received,” said Rodolfo. “I’m feeling great and back to enjoying my retirement years—including lots of tennis.”
An avid tennis player, 77-year-old Rodolfo Legaspi can often be found jumping for the perfect swing, running down the court, and chasing runaway balls—all of which increases the heart rate. So, when he started experiencing irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath, he initially brushed it off, thinking his symptoms were related to exercise and his existing pulmonary issues.
While patients are normally prescribed medication to treat AFib, Rodolfo could not take it because it would interact with his pulmonary medication.
Instead, Dr. Bhandari recommended a procedure called the Farapulse pulsed field ablation (PFA) system.
“Farapulse is a breakthrough alternative for treating atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. Bhandari. “Unlike traditional methods, this system uses gentle electric fields instead of extreme temperatures to target and treat abnormal heart rhythms. It is a safer option for patients, reducing risks associated with standard thermal ablation procedures.”
This new ablation technology selectively targets and kills problematic cardiac cells safely and efficiently without damaging surrounding tissues. Farapulse technology is known for its precision, short procedure time (just two minutes), and its minimal impact on nearby organs.
“The incidence of AFib is on the rise, and having such safe, effective, and efficient therapies like Farapulse allows physicians to treat more patients and reduce complications, ” added Dr. Bhandari.
Rodolfo had the Farapulse procedure done as an outpatient at PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles in June 2024, with outstanding results. Today, he is back to full health and back to playing tennis as often as he can.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Dr. Bhandari and PIH Health for the expert treatment I received,” said Rodolfo. “I’m feeling great and back to enjoying my retirement years—including lots of tennis.”
