Charles "Chuck" Faass was enjoying a round of golf when he felt it, that familiar but unwelcomed flutter in his chest that he knew meant trouble.
"I felt the flutter and I knew that it was an issue," recalls the 78-year-old Melrose resident. "I stopped playing and got home to rest, but my wife took one look at me and rushed me to the emergency department."
A "heart flutter" is a sensation of racing, pounding, or skipped heartbeat, often harmless but can sometimes signal an underlying heart issue like arrhythmia (heart rhythm abnormality), especially when paired with symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, or fainting, requiring medical attention.
For Chuck, this wasn't the first time he'd experienced the unsettling sensation in his heart. He had been living with "atrial fibrillation", commonly known as AFib, and "atrial flutter" (another type of arrhythmia) for years. AFib is a condition where rapid and irregular electrical activity in the heart's upper chambers causes a fast, irregular heartbeat.
Understanding atrial fibrillation
According to David Criss, MD, an interventional cardiologist at MelroseWakefield Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart rhythm disturbance, affecting millions in the United States and globally. "While it may seem like just an irregular heartbeat, AFib can lead to serious complications including stroke, heart failure, and a significantly reduced quality of life if left untreated," said Dr. Criss, who has been monitoring Chuck's AFib for over a decade.
For many patients, AFib can be managed with medications to control the heart's rhythm or prevent strokes. However, medications can have side effects, and some patients require more advanced interventions, such as:
Cardioversion: A procedure where a low-level electrical shock is used to reset the heart to a normal rhythm.
Ablation: A procedure that uses thin catheters to deliver energy to the heart tissue, stopping the abnormal electrical signals that cause AFib.
A historic first for community care
This most recent episode caused concern for Dr. Criss, who recognized that Chuck was a good candidate for an ablation.
Until recently, that would have meant traveling to Tufts Medical Center in Boston for the procedure. But on September 8, 2025, everything changed for the better.
Through a clinical collaboration within Tufts Medicine, the MelroseWakefield Hospital cardiac catheterization lab was recently outfitted with advanced equipment to perform pulsed field ablation (PFA) procedures, making it the first community hospital in its service area to offer this cutting-edge treatment.
Chuck became the very first patient to receive this groundbreaking procedure at MelroseWakefield Hospital. Dr. Guy Rozen, Director of the Tufts Medical Center Electrophysiology Laboratories and the Tufts Medical Center Atrial Fibrillation Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, performed the ablation along with the dedicated team of nurses and lab technicians and anesthesiologist in the cardiac catheterization lab.
Revolutionary technology, closer to home
The procedure utilized novel PFA technology along with the latest three-dimensional mapping and intracardiac echocardiography systems newly installed at MelroseWakefield.
Traditional AFib ablation methods use heat (radiofrequency) or freezing (cryotherapy) to treat the heart tissue causing AFib. While generally safe, these methods can occasionally damage nearby structures like the esophagus or phrenic nerve, potentially leading to complications such as breathing issues.
The new pulsed field ablation therapy, approved by the FDA in 2024, represents a significant advancement. Instead of heat or cold, PFA uses short bursts of high-energy electrical pulses to target only the heart tissue responsible for AFib, significantly enhancing the safety profile of the procedure.
According to Dr. Rozen, the ability to perform this type of atrial fibrillation ablation is "a game-changer" for MelroseWakefield Hospital.
"MelroseWakefield is the first community hospital in our service area, able to provide this procedure," Dr. Rozen explained. "We take tremendous pride in offering this level of technology and expertise. Our goal is to ensure patients have access to the safest, most advanced and effective care available, right here, close to their home."
The impact on patients and families
For Chuck and countless future patients, the significance goes beyond medical innovation—it's about accessibility and quality of life.
When Dr. Rozen told Chuck that both the equipment and expertise were available right in Melrose, and that he could be the first patient to benefit, Chuck didn't hesitate.
"It matters to many of us who would prefer to not travel into Boston for procedures and follow-up appointments," said Chuck. "… and frankly, that would have been a pain in the butt for me and my family!"
"If you're diagnosed with AFib, there are a number of treatments to help manage it," Dr. Rozen explains. "The goal of treatment is to prevent AFib from coming back, and that can involve lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes procedures."
Today, Chuck is grateful for the care he received and the convenience of having such advanced treatment available in his own community. His success story marks a new chapter for MelroseWakefield Hospital and represents hope for countless other patients facing similar heart rhythm challenges—all without having to leave their community for cutting-edge care.
"The care I received at MelroseWakefield Hospital was superb," he said. "I am a true believer in receiving great healthcare in the community."
