UC Davis Director of Pediatric Electrophysiology Dan Cortez has set one other world file: He’s the primary to implant a twin chamber leadless pacemaker in a toddler. His case report was printed this week within the journalPACE: Pacing and Medical Electrophysiology.
A 13-year-old affected person was referred to the UC Davis pediatric electrophysiology clinic for presyncope, a sense of lightheadedness or dizziness with out really fainting, after being monitored for years for congenital full coronary heart block.
Pacemakers are usually positioned in youngsters with congenital full coronary heart block, a uncommon situation that may result in sudden demise and impacts 1 in about 15,000 to 22,000 youngsters. Congenital full coronary heart block could happen on account of repaired congenital coronary heart illness or genetic predisposition. It will also be acquired from publicity to sure maternal antibodies.
After serial electrocardiograms and Holter displays confirmed progressively decrease common coronary heart charges, Cortez talked with the affected person and their household about pacemaker choices.
Twin chamber leadless pacemakers assist regulate the center’s rhythm by stimulating the center’s higher (atrial) and decrease (ventricular) chambers. As a result of the affected person needed to stay lively in sports activities with out restrictions, leadless pacing was introduced as an possibility, and the household agreed.
The AVEIR twin chamber leadless pacemaker was implanted by way of the affected person’s proper inner jugular vein (as an alternative of the femoral vein) so the affected person might transfer simply and return to sports activities sooner. The minimally invasive process happened within the UC Davis Electrophysiology Lab.
The affected person had no problems throughout or after the process. Three months later, the affected person was capable of resume train and play sports activities.
The AVEIR machine is completely different from conventional pacemakers partly as a result of it has no leads or cords and is absorbed by the center. Additionally it is 10 occasions smaller than a standard pacemaker. This pacemaker has been implanted in adults throughout the nation because it acquired FDA approval in 2023.
“Everybody, children included, can now have the advantages of pacemakers with out leads and with out the problems that include leads long run,” Cortez mentioned. “It doesn’t matter what type of pacing a child wants — atrial or ventricular, or each — they’ll now safely obtain leadless pacing and, after the brief restoration interval, don’t have any restrictions to their exercise stage.”
In 2023, Cortez was the primary doctor on the planet to implant a retrievable leadless pacemaker in a toddler. 5 years previous to that, Cortez was the primary doctor on the planet to implant a Micra single-chamber leadless pacemaker by way of the inner jugular vein in a toddler.