New heart device now available to patients suffering from slow heart rates
June 7, 2018
Patients who suffer from an abnormally slow heart rate, a condition also known as bradycardia, now have access to the world’s smallest pacemaker thanks to a new procedure offered by Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute’s Electrophysiology Specialists. The Micra®Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS) heart device provides patients with the most advanced pacing technology at one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker and is approved for Medicare reimbursement.
Pacemakers are the most common way to treat bradycardia by restoring the heart’s normal rate and relieving symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath and fainting spells by sending electrical impulses to the heart to increase the patient’s heart rate. Innovative technologies, like the Micra TPS, offer safer care options and result in better outcomes and lower complication rates for patients.
“We’ve elected to use the Micra TPS for qualified individuals because unlike traditional pacemakers, the device is small enough to be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart, providing a safe alternative to conventional methods,” said Dr. Brad Suprenant, electrophysiologist at Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute. He explained the device does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical pocket under the skin to deliver the pacing therapy, making the new pacemaker system cosmetically invisible. Furthermore, the Micra TPS is designed to automatically adjust pacing therapy based on each patient’s varying activity levels.
The Micra TPS was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2016 and has been granted Medicare reimbursement, providing broad access to those in need of treatment for bradycardia.
To learn more about Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute electrophysiologists Dr. Brad Suprenant and Dr. Abhimanyu Beri and the services and treatment options they provide, call (815) 939-9400 or visit riversideshealthcare.org/services/heart-and-vascular-institute/.