Advanced heart care reaches rural South Carolina

For the last decade, Pamplico, South Carolina, resident Ricky Poston struggled with atrial fibrillation (A-fib), a heart condition in which the heart's upper chambers beat irregularly and often rapidly, causing abnormal blood flow and an increased risk of stroke. But in January, things took a turn when a case of the flu made his A-fib worse.

“When I got the flu, it just went crazy, and from there, my A-fib got worse. That led me to get an ablation,” said Poston. 

Poston was referred to cardiac electrophysiologist Parinita Anil Dherange, M.D., at MUSC Health Cardiology-Florence Medical Pavilion, where she and her team performed the hospital’s first pulsed field ablation (PFA) procedure on him.

PFA is a novel, non-thermal ablation technique used to treat atrial fibrillation. Unlike traditional radiofrequency or cryoablation, which use heat or extreme cold to destroy problematic cardiac tissue, PFA uses short high-voltage electrical pulses to target and disrupt heart cells that are causing the arrhythmia. The key advantage is its tissue selectivity: It affects cardiac cells without damaging surrounding structures like the esophagus or phrenic nerve, improving safety and potentially reducing complications.

“This case was a significant milestone for MUSC Health Florence Medical Center as it marked the introduction of next-generation ablation technology to our electrophysiology program. It demonstrates our commitment to providing state-of-the-art cardiac care locally, reducing the need for patients to travel for advanced procedures,” said Dherange. 

After the successful procedure, Poston began recovery, which he said has been going really well. 

“My strength is returning,” he said. “I’m still gaining it back week by week, but I can tell a difference.”

Since Poston’s ablation, PFA has become MUSC Health Florence Medical Center’s go-to procedure for most atrial fibrillation cases, due to its safety and effectiveness. Dherange believes it supports MUSC’s mission to extend high-quality care to all corners of South Carolina, especially in underserved or rural communities. “By bringing leading-edge technologies like PFA to Florence, MUSC is strengthening its commitment to health equity, regional access and clinical excellence in this region of the state,” she said.

With his health back on track, Poston is once again working alongside his son at the business he owns – Rick’s Excavating Services. He emphasized the difference the ablation procedure made to his daily life on the job. 

“My son was pretty much taking the business over since I had been sick with the flu. I just wasn't able to do the chores that I needed to do,” said Poston. “Now, since the ablation surgery, I have really improved on that. I can finally start getting back to work with my son.”