A medical breakthrough out of UVA Health as a team performs the first-of-its kind implantable heart defibrillator in Virginia.
This is for patients who are at high risk of cardiac arrest or heart failure.
UVA Health’s Dr. Pamela Mason led a team that implanted what’s known as a Medtronic extravascular ICD.
It’s an implantable defibrillator approved by the FDA. It can help a range of patients who may be at risk for cardiac arrest.
”When we say cardiac arrest, what we are really talking about is a patient developing a really rapid, chaotic heart rhythm that is coming from the ventricles which is the bottom chamber of the heart. It’s such a fast heart rhythm that it is essentially the equivalent of their heart-stopping, because it’s so fast and chaotic essentially blood isn’t moving. If the rhythm continues, the patients can actually die,” said Dr. Mason.
She explained the process of implanting and removing this new ICD device is less invasive than other implants.
In addition, the location it’s implanted prevents complications that traditional ICD’s can cause.
UVA Health said this is an important advancement that will benefit many patients in the future.