Medical first as new type of pacemaker implanted at Watford General Hospital (From Watford Observer)

Medical first as new type of pacemaker implanted at Watford General Hospital

3:29pm Tuesday 21st August 2012 in News By Adam Binnie, Senior Reporter

Medical history has been made at Watford General Hospital where the world's first life-saving pacemaker safe from magnetic scanning equipment has been implanted in a patient.

Pacemakers are designed to treat bradycardia, a condition in which the heart beats too slowly, which often causes blackouts, dizzy spells, fatigue or breathlessness.

Many patients with the devices cannot undergo MRI scanning procedures as the equipment interferes with a pacemaker’s functions.

Watford General Hospital's cardiology team have successfully installed a new pacemaker, which is not affect by MRI scans, in a 63-year-old woman.

The patient suffered from frequent dizzy spells and a heartbeat that intermittently stopped and required a permanent pacemaker to prevent the heart-rhythm pauses.

The new Ingenio MRI pacemaker, produced by Boston Scientific, was given the stamp of approvaljust a few weeks ago, on July 27.

Consultant cardiologist Dr. John Bayliss, who performed the procedure, explained: "The timing was perfect for our patient, as she is quite young and might in the future require an MRI scan.

"I explained to her that we had this opportunity for her to be the first person in the world to have this particular pacemaker implanted. She was remarkably relaxed.

"I am delighted West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s Cardiology Department has led the way in this."