KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — The National Heart Institute (IJN) has successfully implanted four of the world’s smallest pacemaker devices, the Medtronic MICRA Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), in each of its patients suffering from bradycardia (slow or irregular heartbeat).
Its senior consultant cardiologist and electro physiologist, Datuk Dr Razali Omar said this was done after being chosen as the first centre in Asia Pacific to participate with Medtronic Inc, the world’s largest maker of medical devices’ global clinical study.
“The new device is an innovation from the previous pacemaker devices which were used to treat patients suffering from a slow or irregular heart rhythm known as bradycardia. The device was implanted as part of the Medtronic global pivotal clinical trial that will enroll up to 780 patients within two years at apporoximately 50 centres,” he said at a press conference.
Dr Razali said if the clinical trial was positive, the result could potentially benefit more than one million people globally, who received pacemakers each year.
Meanwhile, Senior Engineering Director (MICRA) of TPS, United States, Leonardo Rapallini said MICRA TPS was one-tenth of the size of a conventional pacemaker, and comparable in size to a large vitamin.
“Unlike traditional pacemakers, the new device is a fully self-contained, miniaturised pacemaker designed to provide patients with bradycardia, the most advanced pacing technology, via a minimally invasive approach. The estimated battery life of the device is between nine and 13 years, and responds to a patient’s activity level and adjusts therapy automatically,” he said.
— BERNAMA
