Mercy Rockford Health System issued the following announcement on Aug. 16.
A new medical device about the size of a large vitamin and as lightweight as a penny is changing the face of cardiac care for patients with an irregular heartbeat.
On August 2, the first Medtronic Micra Leadless Pacemaker was implanted at Mercyhealth Rockford in a patient who suffered from Chronic Atrial Fibrillation and a slow heart rate. The procedure took approximately one hour and was performed successfully without complication. The patient was admitted to the hospital overnight after the procedure and discharged the next morning. He is currently doing well and scheduled for follow up appointment on August 16.
Dubbed the “world’s smallest pacemaker,” the Micra is about one-tenth the size of a conventional pacemaker and delivers electrical pulses to the heart directly without leads. Four tiny tines anchor the Micra in place and its battery will last for up to 12 years. The Micra is minimally invasive and is inserted into the heart’s right ventricle through a vein in the patient’s groin not requiring a surgical incision.
Mercyhealth physicians and employee/partners involved in the procedure were Dr. Leela Narra, Interventional Electrophysiologist; Dr. Erbert Caceres, Interventional Cardiologist; Jim Combs RCIS, RCES, EMTP; Tina Schulz, RN; and Taylor Rumple, RN.
“As a Cardiac Electrophysiologist, I enjoy bringing my patients the newest and safest technology health care has to offer,” said Dr. Narra. “My patient’s safety and outcomes are my priority, and it gives me great professional satisfaction to see them do well and fulfills our mission as a health system to make lives better.”
Pacemakers, including the Micra, were designed to treat a condition known as bradycardia, in which the heart beats too slowly or in an irregular rhythm. Patients with bradycardia often suffer dizziness, fatigue and other symptoms because the heart is unable to pump enough oxygenated blood throughout the body. The pacemaker’s electrical pulse regulates the heart’s rhythm, restoring a normal heart rate. The Micra’s size makes having the implant device more comfortable for the patient and the lack of leads, or wires that conventional pacemakers use to carry electronic impulses to the heart, means the device carries less risk, with fewer complications.
The Micra was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April 2016.
Original source can be found here.
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