On December 29, 2023, Prof. Zhong Jingquan together with Prof. Rong Bing and Prof. Chen Tongshuai from Qilu Hospital of Shandong University successfully performed HeartLight X3 balloon laser ablation for a patient with atrial fibrillation. This is also the third clinical application of laser ablation technology in the treatment of atrial fibrillation in China. So far, Prof. Zhong Jingquan has become the first person in China to integrate the four major techniques of atrial fibrillation treatment, including cryotherapy, radiofrequency, laser and pulsed therapy.

The operation was performed using HeartLight X3, an innovative medical device for the treatment of atrial fibrillation from CardioFocus, introduced by Grand Pharma. The product was approved by the FDA in May 2020 and has been clinically applied in the United States, Europe and Japan.

Compared with the existing ablation treatments in the market today, the HeartLight X3 balloon laser ablation system delivers precise energy output and automates the continuous ablation of the circumflex pulmonary veins to improve the efficiency of the procedure. With direct endoscopic visualization, the HeartLight X3 can precisely adjust the position of the laser energy release and the ablation path, effectively shortening the procedure time. HeartLight X3 can also achieve the same point-to-point precision as radiofrequency ablation, with the advantages of simple operation, short learning curve and high efficiency of cryoablation and pulse ablation.

HeartLight X3 balloon-based laser ablation system, as the world’s only atrial fibrillation treatment system that combines cardiac endoscopy and ultra-compliant balloon, has been updated to the 3rd generation technology. As of 2022, HeartLight X3 has completed more than 18,000 clinical treatments worldwide, with high applicability and widely praised by physicians all over the world.