For the first time in Argentina, the pacemaker known as the smallest in the world currently on the market was implemented and developed by the leading company in technology applied to health, Medtronic. For two days, seven patients from the Integral Arrhythmia Center of the province of Tucumán, in charge of cardiologist Luis Aguinaga, were benefited by the use of this technology. With its 2.6 cm – which is about one-tenth the size of traditional pacemakers – this pacemaker offers an invisible, cordless solution to treat bradycardia: a condition that occurs when there is a drop in the normal heart rate.
The heart of an adult at rest should beat between 60 and 100 times per minute under normal conditions. When bradycardia is present, the heart beats less than 60 times per minute, which can be a serious problem because the heart doesn’t pump enough blood to carry oxygen throughout the body. The technology of this miniature transcatheter stimulation system corrects this type of arrhythmia, helping the heart to have an adequate heart rate. The procedure for its implant is characterized by being minimally invasive and is performed by moving the device through the femoral vein located in the patient’s leg to his heart, where it is finally inserted to be housed there. An intervention that takes minutes and enables the patient to resume their normal life immediately the next day. In turn, by not requiring incision, complications derived from scarring problems are reduced -a point more than beneficial for patients with this type of pathology, for example, people with diabetes-. By not using cables, in addition, it rules out any risk of infection, and its structure developed in pure titanium, offers the peace of mind of not presenting rejections due to allergies. The operation of the pacemaker is based on algorithm engineering and programming, something totally different from what is known, as well as the technological challenge involved in having a battery with a duration of 8 to 13 years in such a small size. On the other hand, its Wireless connectivity system allows the health professional to have real-time information on the patient’s status through a digital application. A platform where the doctor can also make remote configurations to adjust the parameters that guarantee the correct activity of the heart and offer the most appropriate treatment for each patient. “We are very happy to have incorporated the best cardiac stimulation technology for the benefit of our patients,” said Dr. Aguinaga after two days that marked a before and after for the hearts of Tucumán and Argentina. Thanks to its features, approximately 50% of the pacemaker population can benefit from the technology of this cutting-edge device. “Today we are performing the implant in adults, but its innovative particularities also enable us to reach the hearts of children facing heart problems,” he added.
This pacemaker is in itself a clear example of the commitment to providing medical experiences that put people first and, in this sense, its minuscule size, once again, is a differential that gives patients important benefits for both their physical health and their mental health. In terms of aesthetics and self-esteem, being invisible, the implant eliminates all possible discomfort from being seen and, to add, also discards annoying scars or subsequent marks on the skin that can generate insecurity. Since its inception, the developer of the innovative transcatheter stimulation system has been a pioneer in the production of state-of-the-art pacemakers, and with this small device, it has reached a new standard in biomedical engineering to contribute to the well-being of people suffering from cardiac pathologies, seeking to relieve pain, improve health and prolong life.
