HEALTH + WELLNESS
McLeod Electrophysiologist Dr. Prabal Guha implants pacemakers like the Micra and the Micra AV in the dedicated Electrophysiology Laboratory at McLeod Regional Medical Center.
THE NEW MICRA AV
Keeps Heart in Pace. Only Weighs a Penny.
Micra AV is a leadless pacemaker and is 93 percent smaller than modern-day pacemakers.
story by Dr. Prabal Guha, McLeod Electrophysiologist, McLeod Heart and Vascular Institute A pacemaker is a small battery-powered electronic device that sends electrical signals to the heart to help it beat at a proper rate. It is surgically placed under the skin and connected to the heart by one or more wires or leads. Pacemakers are used for cardiac conditions like bradycardia that disrupt the heart's normal electrical system. Bradycardia is characterized by a slow or irregular heart rhythm. At a low rate, the heart is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body during normal activity or exercise causing dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath or fainting spells. Pacemakers are the most common way to treat bradycardia -- restoring the heart's normal rhythm and relieving symptoms by sending electrical impulses to the heart to increase the heart rate. 14 14
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Pacemakers do not take over the work of the heart but assist in regulating the timing and sequence of the heartbeat. Pacemakers only work when they are needed. These devices are sophisticated enough to decide when support to the heart is required. Over the years, the size of pacemakers has drastically changed. The first wearable pacemaker in the 1950s weighed over half a pound and was worn externally around the neck. Today’s pacemakers are about 2 inches wide and 1.5 inches high. As technology advanced, the devices continued to shrink. In 2017, McLeod began offering a new device, the Micra, that is 93 percent smaller than modern-day pacemakers. Micra weighs about the same as a penny and is the size of a vitamin capsule.
