Placed a small pill-sized device in the heart, saving the life of an 83-year-old woman

A wireless pacemaker weighing about 2 grams and the size of a capsule has just saved a patient from the risk of sudden death.

The team proceeded to place a wireless pacemaker on the patient.

On November 15, Hospital 30-4 ( Ministry of Public Security ) announced that it had successfully performed the first wireless pacemaker implantation, marking a step forward in the professional development of this facility.

The patient was an 83-year-old woman who presented to the local hospital with fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness. She had a history of hypertension and ischemic heart disease.

At Hospital 30-4, after examination, the doctor determined that the patient had high-degree atrioventricular block with prolonged sinus pauses.

This is a dangerous form of bradycardia that can cause the heart to beat intermittently or even stop beating for a few seconds, causing lack of blood to the brain leading to fainting or sudden death.

Faced with this critical situation, doctors quickly placed a temporary pacemaker to maintain the heart rate and immediately consulted to find the optimal solution.

According to Dr. Nguyen Quoc Khoa, Deputy Head of the Cardiology Department, Hospital 30-4, the most effective and safest treatment is to implant a permanent pacemaker for the patient.

This is also the first time that 30-4 Hospital has implemented the technique of placing a dual-chamber wireless pacemaker. Under the guidance of an ultrasound system and a light-increasing screen, the interventional team inserted a catheter through the femoral vein, up into the heart chamber to implant the pacemaker into the patient's right ventricle.

The procedure took about 45 minutes. The heart rate was maintained at a stable level of about 60 beats per minute, and there were no longer any dangerous long pauses in the heart. A few days later, the patient was discharged from the hospital in good spirits.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Khoa said that the dual-chamber wireless pacemaker has the advantage of being minimally invasive, reducing the risk of complications, not causing discomfort, and the patient almost does not feel a “foreign object” in the body. The device is highly durable, with a battery life of about 12 years, helping elderly patients limit the number of surgeries to replace the device.

GIAO LINH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dat-thiet-bi-nho-bang-vien-thuoc-vao-tim-cuu-song-cu-ba-83-tuoi-post823628.html