40 Years Ago, a UCSF Doctor Pioneered Catheter Ablation—and Transformed Heart Care
Dr. Melvin Scheinman: 40th Anniversary of Catheter Ablation
In 1981, Dr. Melvin Scheinman performed the first catheter ablation in a human, threading a catheter through a vein to short-circuit a life-threatening arrhythmia without open-heart surgery. The technique, born from years of animal experiments and a desperate patient's consent, has since revolutionized electrophysiology, curing millions worldwide. Now, Scheinman reflects on the field's evolution—from primitive shocks to radiofrequency and genetic therapies—and looks ahead to gene-based cures.
“What I did was a very primitive first step,” said Dr. Scheinman.