World’s smallest pacemaker implanted successfully

http://www.cbc.ca/1.2864706

The Foothills Medical Centre is one of three hospital in Canada — and one of 55 internationally — involved in evaluating these devices, which are about an inch long and approximately the width of a pencil.

Aside from the smaller size, the device known as a leadless pacemaker has several advantages over the standard pacemaker:

It is inserted non-surgically, which is less invasive and has a faster healing time.
It also has a lower risk of infection and doesn't restrict people in terms of movement post-implantation.

12 Comments

Are you talking about the Micra TPS??

by Runningmama - 2014-12-25 07:12:26

If so, do you have one? I have had mine since November.

If you do have this pacemaker, then you know that YES you are restricted movement wise post implant and it most certainly DOES require surgery to implant, sorry, catheter through femoral artery to heart is yes, surgery. I have the surgery story to tell, first hand.

Like I said, if you do have this pacemaker, I'd love to chat with you on your experience thus far, if you don't have it, then maybe you should not post about a device you don't have..... especially where as recovery, surgery, etc are concerned.

As one of the first in this country and probably one of the youngest in the world, I have more to say that is correct regarding this pacemaker. Sounds like you are advertising?

Peace.

Just reporting the news

by Charlotteis - 2014-12-26 03:12:50

Hi Runningmama, no, sorry, I don't have one. I discovered the article while I was deciding to have a pacemaker implanted a couple of weeks ago. I noticed that a couple of members on this site didn't have a pacemaker yet so may be able to use this information, so I posted it under Industry News and as Inga kindly pointed out, supplied the link and the beginning of the article. I personally discovered that I did not qualify for this type of pacemaker but someone on this site might and may appreciate the info to begin their own research?

I suspect that some people would appreciate hearing about your experiences as the device is relatively unknown if you would care to share.

Best wishes.

Catheter procedure

by golden_snitch - 2014-12-26 04:12:24

Why are you being so aggressive, Runningmama? Charlotte was only telling us about this first implant in Canada, could be the Micra TPS, could be the Nanostim. She was just sharing information and quoting the article, that she posted the link to.

A catheter through femoral vein is, in my opinion, a catheter procedure and no surgery. Have had 8 catheter procedures through the same vein (and more, both groins, subclavian and jugular at the same time), taking up to 10 hours, and I would never ever compare this to a real surgery. It does not involve any cutting or stitching up, there is no scar, there is no cutting inside the heart - it's just a catheter intervention, nothing less, nothing more. Also had pacemaker surgeries, open chest surgery, open heart surgery, and believe me, if you had had that, you'd not compare a simple catheter procedure to a real surgery. And you'll find no article on the Micra TS or the Nanostim saying that it requires surgery. The big advantage of the leadless pacemakers is that they only require a catheter procedure; no pacemaker pocket needs to be formed.

Even Medtronic writes:
"The miniature device does not require a surgical incision or the creation of a "pocket" under the skin, which eliminates any visible sign of the device and a potential source of device-related complications."
http://newsroom.medtronic.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251324&p=irol-newsArticle&id=1941080

Inga

Sorry but I do have a scar...

by Runningmama - 2014-12-26 08:12:25

and remember very vividly the metal stitches being taken out....and do remember not being able to walk for about three weeks as well as various other restrictions...so I guess my point was, the news articles don't tell the REAL story....nor to they list the LONG list of complications.

Sounds like a rough go

by Charlotteis - 2014-12-26 10:12:07

So sorry to hear that. It sounds like you have had a brutal time of it. I hope that everything you have gone through thus far is soon just an unpleasant memory.

Pax.

Nanostim

by MaryJaneSparks - 2014-12-26 10:12:18

Implantation of my Nanostim took about 20 min in the OR via a femoral cath. I was awake the entire time & could watch the fluoroscopy screen as it was implanted. By far the easiest surgery I've ever had, including 4 cardiac ablations & two major surgeries in my life.
No heavy lifting for about two weeks & then I had no restrictions.
I've continued to have Brady/tachy heart rates since last Wednesday, SOA, feel faint, & weak. St Jude Medical has yet to give me a response as to why I would experience Brady with the Nanostim.
I'm pt #86 in the Nation & the second youngest (so far).

To add..

by kevinuncc - 2014-12-27 05:12:40

I don't have the nano, but was considered for it here in Prague (one of the first places to implant this device) and the reason I walked (after a soft sale) was that it does NOT have rate response. It's mainly to be a substitute to ICD devices.

I have some weird side effects too....

by Runningmama - 2014-12-27 10:12:57

I have had at least one brady / block episode with the micra and of course no one from medtronic could even acknowledge it happened, the pacemaker does not record "episodes"...I kinda know when my heart stops ya know? and right after I could begin being active again, this weird SOB stuff started...I'm a runner, don't smoke, etc ..even though SOB is one of the "possible side effects" no one will delve into that possibility, my primary has moved onto anxiety. :) If I'm anxious, it's because a dr put this gadget in my heart and I've had nothing but health problems that I didn't have before since...to be only 34 it really sucks. Heart block was better. And when they thought it was pacemaker infection (thank goodness it wasn't), I was informed that if it could not be retrieved with the catheter, I would have to have open heart surgery to get it out...There is alot about these nano devices that they don't know yet and I regret being involved. I'd take the old school one anyday if I could get this one out.

Nope, it never comes out...

by Runningmama - 2014-12-28 04:12:19

There is no removal of the Micra TPS, it lives in my heart forever. It will be completely encapsulated in my heart in about 3 months. When it needs replaced, they just add another one in..FAT CHANCE, pigs will fly from the stratosphere first. I am research, young, healthy research, that's it. No one at the hospital or Medtronic care if this thing has ruined my life. I was drawn to the nano size and that there would be no leads, bulge, etc and that I could have my active life back sooner, nope, didn't happen. I would advise anyone considering one of these to THINK and THINK much harder than I did...maybe the research I'm helping them do will help someone, that's the good side. I regret the day I climbed up on the table.

Leadless pacing

by golden_snitch - 2014-12-28 05:12:31

Kevin, it cannot be a substitute for ICD devices since neither the Nanostim nor the Micra TPS are able to shock; they are very basic pacemakers without all the fancy stuff today's pacemakers have, and no ICDs.

Runningmama, I'm really surprised that you got a Micra TPS. Your young age should have been an exclusion criteria, because retrievability is still an issue and a young patient would definitely need to have the device replaced at some point. For the Nanostim a special catheter to remove the device has already been developed and tested in animals; in the Micra TPS that does not seem to be the case.

In an article about the Micra TPS I read the following:

"For this generation of the technology, especially since it is a single-chamber device, battery expiration might not be a major issue, given that patients who receive devices are approximately 80 years old. "This is connected to the inclusion criteria," he told heartwire . "The inclusion criteria are more or less atrial fibrillation with bradycardia, which is more common in older patients. The St Jude Nanostim and the Medtronic Micra are single-chamber pacemakers. This is the simplest form of pacing. For younger patients with atrioventricular block, you have to use two-chamber pacemakers." Source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/827034

I totally understand your anger and that you regret being involved in this trial. I'm sure everyone here appreciates you sharing your experiences with this new technology, because this will help others who are in the decision-making process. Thanks a lot!

Inga

Thank you

by agnes - 2015-01-10 06:01:18

Thank you Runningmama,
for you share your experience with us. It is very helpful. I am also thinking about the leadless possibility, After 6 ablations I got an AV block.

Battery replacement

by 0300hours - 2015-04-27 10:04:40

How is the battery replaced? Is the unit removed?

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

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