A man from St Albans is one of the first patients to trial a hospital’s new treatment for irregular heart rhythm.

A clinical trial is underway at Royal Brompton Hospital in London which aims to significantly improve treatment for patients with the condition – known as atrial fibrillation (AF) – by removing some of the heart’s endings.

The procedure is being carried out for the first time and Tony Crook, a father of two from St Albans, is trialling the treatment.

The 55-year-old chartered accountant was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in October last year, after experiencing chest pains while emptying the dishwater.

Despite Mr Crook rarely suffering from symptoms of the condition, having only briefly experienced chest pains a handful of times before, tests found he was in AF most of the time.

He was referred to Royal Brompton Hospital for treatment.

Mr Crook said: “I’m really pleased I took part in the trial and avoiding developing heart failure – it’s given me a new lease of life.

“I am completely drug free and I am back enjoying life with peace of mind knowing that my children do not need to worry about me.

“This time last year I was at a very high risk of a stroke, which could have been devastating for my young family, but now that risk has totally disappeared.”

The procedure uses an innovative imaging technique to identify the exact locations of a branch of nerves that are thought to have a role in causing AF.

The nerve endings are then targeted for ‘catheter ablation treatment’, which uses radiofrequency energy to destroy areas of heart tissue.

The pilot trial will involve 20 patients who have been diagnosed with AF and the study will be followed up for 12 months to check their heart rhythms.

AF is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. It affects up to 800,000 people in the UK and can cause palpitations, tiredness, breathlessness and dizziness.