Cuenca, February 3, 2023
The Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital in Cuenca performed radiofrequency ablation for the first time, with total success. With this, a new service has been implemented for the population of the provinces of Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago. The beneficiary of the procedure was a patient with cardiac arrhythmia.
“This interventional cardiology procedure is generally indicated for patients with tachyarrhythmias (rapid heartbeat, more than 100 beats per minute). A catheter is introduced into the heart that directly heals or burns the focus that is producing abnormal electrical impulses, which has a high, high rate of effectiveness between 70% and 100%, depending on the arrhythmias,” said Javier Pinos, cardiologist, specialist in invasive clinical electrophysiology.
The new hospital service saves resources and avoids the referral of patients with this pathology to units of the Comprehensive Public Health Network or Complementary Health Network. The goal is to perform one to two ablations per week to meet the list of patients who require it.
Manuel Campoverde, 71 years old, is the first patient to receive the benefit of radiofrequency ablation. “I have had a heart problem for six years, for treatment I had to travel to Quito, but advantageously it already exists at the Vicente Corral Hospital. I am grateful because in the economic situation we find ourselves, I could not have the ablation done in a private clinic. You have to recognize the benefits we are getting from this service,” he said.
Beneficiaries receive this treatment free of charge. In a private health home, the cost of simple ablations is around $6,500; if they are much more complex, they can even reach $15,000.
The Ministry of Public Health, through the Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital, strengthens health services for the benefit of users.
#JuntosPorLaSalud
