Our professionals
Dr. Ignacio García Bolao
Head of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Department Cardiology Specialist
Area of Expertise: study and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias
Professional career
Graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Navarra Faculty of Medicine(1989).Cardiology Specialist and carried out his training at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra (1994).
He was awarded his doctorate (1994) in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Navarra, with a distinctive "Cum Laude" qualification.
In 1996, he subspecialised in Cardiac Electrophysiology in the Arrhythmias Unit at the Hospital Clinic, Barcelona.
He was qualified in Cardiac Stimulation and Cardiac Electrophysiology by the Spanish Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology.
He has been the head of the Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Department at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra since June 2009.
He has developed the Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias Unit at the Clinic.
RESEARCH AREAS
- He has participated in 10 R&D&I research projects.
- He participated in the healthcare innovation project: Remote Assistance for Non-Fluoroscopic Navigation Systems. Clínica Universidad de Navarra/Boston Scientific. 2020.
- Member of the Editorial Board of the Spanish Journal of Cardiology since 2012.
- Member of the Technical Evaluation Committee for R&D&I Projects (cardiovascular diseases area) of the Carlos III Health Institute. 2010-2013.
- He has supervised 3 doctoral theses.
AREAS OF INTEREST
Over 3000 invasive cardiac electrophysiology procedures as the primary operator. Expertise in the following techniques:
- Diagnostic cardiac electrophysiological studies.
- Radiofrequency ablation of conventional substrates.
- Ablation of complex arrhythmic substrates.
- Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation (> 2000 procedures as the primary operator, including RF, PVAC, Cryoablation, and nMarq).
- Non-fluoroscopic navigation (including NavX Velocity (700), Carto 3 (100), Noga, Rhythmia (> 1000 procedures), and MediGuide (> 50 procedures).
- Implantation and monitoring of pacemakers, defibrillators, and CRT (>500 CRT).
- Percutaneous lead extraction.
- Percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage (Proctor for Watchman and Amulet systems) (>250 procedures, 43 in 2021).
Activity
As an educator
- Full Professor at the University. Faculty of Medicine. University of Navarra since 2010 (accreditation as Full Professor at the University by the National Agency for the Quality Assessment of Education, 2009).
- Accreditation for three six-year research periods by the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity
As a researcher
- He has written more than 154 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- More than 130 conference presentations (73 at international conferences).
- More than 120 invited lectures at conferences, including invited lectures at the Heart Rhythm Society, Europace, Cardiostim, and the European Society of Cardiology.
- Principal investigator in more than 38 national and international projects, including several international multicenter trials and competitive calls such as projects funded by the Spanish National Health Institute (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, FIS).
Scientific organizations
- Associate member of the Spanish Society of Cardiology.
- Numerary Member of the Spanish Society of Cardiology.
- Member of the Electrophysiology and Arrhythmias Section of the S.E.C.
- Member of the Pacemaker Section of the S.E.C.
- Member of the Section of Heart Failure and other therapeutic alternatives of the S.E.C.
- Member of the Vasconavarra Society of Cardiology.
- Member of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society since 1998.
- Member of the International Society for Holter and Non-Invasive Electrocardiology since 1998.
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Vasconavarra Society of Cardiology (2002-7).
- Secretary of the Basque-Navarre Society of Cardiology from 2002-2007.
- Member of the European Heart Rhythm Association since 2004.
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Arrhythmia Section of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (2006- 12).
- FESC. Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology.
Latest scientific publications
- A Fibrosis Biomarker Early Predicts Cardiotoxicity Due to Anthracycline-Based Breast Cancer Chemotherapy. Scientific Publication Jun 14, 2022 | Magazine: Cancers
- Association of left atrium voltage amplitude and distribution with the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence and evolution after pulmonary vein isolation: An ultrahigh-density mapping study. Scientific Publication Aug 1, 2019 | Magazine: Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology