BHUBANESWAR: A team of surgeons of AMRI Hospital here recently implanted a leadless pacemaker in an elderly woman, who was suffering from presyncope (recurrent reeling of head). The woman was diagnosed as a case of sick sinus syndrome with symptomatic bradycardia and her heart rate was as low as 22 per minute at the time of admission.
The surgeons led by Dr Dibya Ranjan Behera decided to go for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI). Leadless pacemaker was the only option as the patient had a history of previous surgery at chest area, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he said.
“A leadless pacemaker is a one-piece device with the size as small as one rupee coin. Unlike with traditional pacemakers, a patient doesn’t need a separate battery under the skin or leads that go to the heart. The woman has been discharged in stable condition,” Dr Behera said.