Abbott LaboratoriesAbbott's Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System was used for the first time in Canada after Health Canada authorization, advancing its electrophysiology product adoption.

Abbott announced that its Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System was used for the first time in Canada at the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. The system, which received Health Canada authorization in April 2026, is designed to deliver more precise, targeted energy with fewer catheter exchanges and reduced radiation exposure than earlier-generation systems, and is also approved and available in the United States, Europe and Australia. Health Canada authorization was based on results from Abbott's VOLT-AF IDE study, a clinical trial of 392 patients conducted at 40 centres in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia, which demonstrated clinically meaningful performance in both safety and effectiveness in treating paroxysmal AFib and persistent AFib. Dr. Atul Verma, director of cardiology at the McGill University Health Centre, said innovations like Volt are notable for combining real-time feedback with a distinctive catheter design that may help optimize contact and energy delivery during procedures. Christopher Piorkowski, chief medical officer of Abbott's electrophysiology business, said the system's introduction in Canada enables an approach that can support conscious sedation and may help make procedures more efficient while supporting quicker recovery. AFib affects between 500,000 to nearly one million Canadians, and people with the condition have 3 to 5 times greater risk for ischemic stroke.
Abbott LaboratoriesAbbott's Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System was used for the first time in Canada after Health Canada authorization, advancing its electrophysiology product adoption.