Leadless pacemaker is a game-changer for nurse
A young nurse who was diagnosed with a serious heart condition is among the first patients in the north of England to receive a new leadless pacemaker, which was implanted at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A team of cardiologists, nurses, radiographers and physiologists at the South Yorkshire Cardiothoracic Centre, based at Northern General Hospital, deliver the implantable leadless devices to suitable patients.
Emily Coles, 24, who lives in Rotherham, was diagnosed with reflex syncope associated with sinus pauses following a collapse at home last year. As her blackouts were unpredictable and associated with her heart pausing for more than 10 seconds, doctors told her she could not drive and needed to take precautions until her condition was treated.
Heart specialists at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust informed Emily about a new leadless pacemaker device, which is designed to treat appropriate patients with slow heart rhythms and is implanted directly into the heart using a minimally invasive procedure that avoids the need for an incision to the chest near the heart.
The device operates without leads, with the battery and electronic chips housed within its compartment. It is smaller than an AAA battery and has a long battery life.
“It’s been a few weeks since my operation, and I will soon be able to resume driving again, something I had taken for granted before my diagnosis,” said Coles. “I will also be able to exercise again and reinstate my gym membership, and I can look forward to doing the things I never questioned I might not be able to do.”
Consultant cardiologist Dr Nigel Lewis said: “The new leadless system provides a game-changing solution to patients who require less frequent ‘pacing’, particularly those on dialysis and younger patients who are otherwise fit and healthy. Patients with atrial fibrillation and those with risks of infection requiring a pacemaker are also set to benefit.”
Picture: Consultant cardiologist Dr Nigel Lewis with the leadless pacemaker device and the specialist interventional cardiology team.
Published on page 9 of the April 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.
