Vienna cardiologists pioneer hybrid technique to treat life-threatening arrhythmias

VIENNA, 11th April, 2026 (WAM)– Cardiologists at University Hospital Vienna and MedUni Vienna have achieved a medical milestone by performing Austria’s first hybrid procedure combining minimally invasive surgery with advanced catheter ablation to treat life-threatening heart rhythm disorders.

The innovative technique specifically targets ventricular tachycardia—a condition where the heart beats dangerously fast from the lower chambers, which can lead to sudden cardiac death if untreated.

The breakthrough lies in the integration of two highly specialised procedures: minimally invasive thoracoscopy and catheter-based electrophysiological ablation. During the operation, surgeons access the heart’s outer surface through small incisions between the ribs using a camera (thoracoscopy), while cardiologists simultaneously use catheter technology to precisely eliminate diseased tissue inside the heart that triggers the arrhythmia.

According to the university hospital, this hybrid approach allows doctors to reach deeper layers of the heart tissue that were previously inaccessible through conventional methods. The procedure offers a safer, more effective alternative for patients who have not responded to standard treatments, avoiding the need for traditional open-heart surgery and significantly accelerating recovery times.

Medical experts described the success as a major advancement in cardiac care, providing a tailored solution for complex cases that were once considered difficult to treat.