Success as Leeds General Infirmary implants first wireless pacemaker
Cardiologists at the Leeds General Infirmary have celebrated the first commercial use in the UK of a new wireless pacemaker, the Micra, which is 90% smaller than any other used before.
The pacemaker was implanted directly into the heart of 68 year-old patient, Rodney Gamble from Scunthorpe, replacing the temporary device which had been maintaining a regular heartbeat.
The Micra, which is about the same size as a household fuse and made by Medtronic, has only been made possible by advances in battery technology and circuitry, meaning that the much smaller, wire-free device can be used for a period of up to 15 years.
During the procedure, which takes around an hour, the pacemaker is inserted into the patient’s inner thigh and follows the femoral vein to the right ventricle of the heart. The device is moved into the heart and when correctly in position against the wall of the muscle the applicator is removed allowing the pacemaker to hook itself into the heart tissue.
Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Chris Pepper who led the team carrying out the procedure said “I’m really pleased with the way the implant went. The use of the new technology means that we can carry out much less invasive procedure and reduces some of the risks of complications associated with wired pacemakers. The new device offers significant promise for the future in improving life for patients with pacemakers.
“It is great to see how micro technologies have improved healthcare and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the technology.”
"Our cross-functional teams have been working for years to redefine engineering limits and production capabilities by radically reducing the size of medical devices by more than 90 percent while continuing to innovate upon the existing technology," said Brian Urke, Vice President and General Manager of the Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure's Brady business, which is part of the Cardiac and Vascular Group at Medtronic.
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