9 April 2026
Judy Lloyd, ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Nurse at Interhearing
A Nurse diagnosed with a heart condition that left her tired, weak and having to give up one of her much-loved hobbies has had her life transformed by an innovative operation.
Judy Lloyd, an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Nurse at Interhearing, was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) seven years ago.
Atrial fibrillation is estimated to affect more than 30 million people worldwide. Symptoms include palpitations, dizziness, fatigue and chest pain. Major risks include stroke and heart failure, often caused by high blood pressure, heart disease or ageing.
Judy, 63, from Oswestry, said: “I started getting very tired and would have to stop the car on my way back from meetings to rest. I had very little energy.
“I used to love playing tennis but had to stop as I was really struggling to play.
“There were also several times when I could feel my heart fluttering, which felt like someone was banging on my chest from the inside. I was even struggling to pull an empty wheelie bin back on to my drive. I had to pace myself.”
Mr Nicolas Nikolaidis, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, saw Judy and recommended a new type of surgery.
He said: “I recommended Judy undergo the ABC (all box clamping) approach.
“This is a minimally invasive, keyhole surgical procedure that does not require the heart to be stopped. It aims to ablate (burn) the back of the heart using special clamps to create a box lesion.
“At the same time, a clip device (AtriClip) is applied to close off the left atrial appendage. This not only helps restore normal rhythm but also reduces the risk of AF‑associated stroke by 33 per cent.
“Recovery time is very quick, and the majority of patients go home the next day.
“We started this procedure at New Cross Hospital last June and have successfully treated 16 patients along with Mr Mahmoud Abdelaziz.
“Judy had previously undergone two catheter ablations, which were unable to restore her normal rhythm long‑term. Dr Selvakumar Velu referred her for the ABC procedure, which was successfully performed in June last year, and she has remained in sinus rhythm with no recurrence since.”
Judy said: “I feel so much better now. I am working three days a week with a heavy workload, and I am playing tennis again in the Cheshire League. I have even started pickleball.
“It has completely transformed my life. I hardly have to take any medication any more, and I have so much more energy.
“Mr Nikolaidis, Dr Velu and the team have been absolutely incredible, and I am extremely grateful for the treatment I received.”
Mr Nikolaidis added: “We are privileged to be offering this procedure at our hospital, which allows a large proportion of patients with isolated AF to be treated without the need for major surgery. Notably, this exact procedure is not currently performed at any other centre in the UK.”