World's tiniest pacemaker unveiled
The world's smallest pacemaker was successfully implanted in a patient suffering with bradycardia, in the US.
In a first, a patient suffering with bradycardia, in the United States has been implanted with the world's smallest pacemaker successfully. It is the size of a big vitamin capsule and boasts of the most advanced pacing technology.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had recently approved the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), which is a new type of heart device that provides patients with the most advanced pacing technology.
Important features of the TPS:
- It is about one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker and is the only leadless pacemaker approved for use in the US
- It does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical "pocket" under the skin to deliver a pacing therapy
- It can easily be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart
- It allows automatic adjustment of the pacing therapy on the basis of a patient's activity level
- It has a long battery life of up to 10 years
- It has a unique feature that enables it to be permanently turned off so it can remain in the body and a new device can be implanted without risk of electrical interaction.
What is bradycardia?
It is a condition which is characterized by a slow heart rate, usually less than 60 beats per minute. Effects of this condition include fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath or fainting spells.
The most common way to treat bradycardia is through pacemakers, which help to restore the heart's normal rhythm and relieve symptoms by sending electrical impulses to the heart to increase the heart rate.
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