Piedmont Macon performs AFib procedure using advanced groundbreaking mapping, ablation system

Macon, Ga. (October 16, 2026) – Piedmont Macon Medical Center has performed its first treatment of atrial fibrillation using the Affera™ mapping and ablation system with a Sphere-9™ catheter.

The groundbreaking system – the first of its kind in Middle Georgia – broadens treatment options for heart patients by using the all-in-one high-density mapping and dual energy ablation catheter. It is used to treat AFib and typical atrial flutter by using radio frequency energy.

AFib is a progressive disease that occurs when the heart's upper chambers beat out of rhythm, and as a result, blood is not pumped efficiently to the rest of the body. AFib is the most common atrial arrhythmia, affecting nearly 60 million people worldwide, and is associated with serious complications including heart failure, stroke and increased risk of death.

In clinical trials, patients treated with the Sphere-9 catheter experienced improvements in quality of life for both mental and physical well-being.

“With Affera, the Sphere-9 catheter allows physicians to map, ablate, and validate all with a single catheter, enhancing the safety of ablation procedures for our patients,” said Carmine Oddis, MD, who performed the first Affera™ procedure at Piedmont Macon Medical Center. “This technology will improve and accelerate our ability to treat patients suffering from AFib.”

The Affera mapping and ablation system enables physicians to customize treatment based on a patient’s needs during an ablation procedure, using different energy sources and mapping capabilities to correct fast, abnormal heart rhythms.

“With the increasing number of patients with AFib, the Affera system has the potential to provide a life-changing solution for people with AFib,” Oddis said.