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Traditionally heart patients, notably those suffering from Bradycardia, or irregular heart rhythm, have been subject to invasive technique involving pacemakers as a solution. Due to the nature of the condition that makes the heart unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood, patients often experience dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath or fainting spells. These cases require the implantation of atrioventricular blocks (AV block) that uses electrical signals to introduce regular heartbeats, which in turn give patients significant relief. However, the surgical experience has not been comfortable. As a solution, medical device manufacturer Medtronic introduced the Micra AV, a revolutionary self-contained device that is known as the world's smallest pacemaker.
The Micra AV is less than one-tenth the size of traditional pacemakers, weighs as little at two grams, and is comparable to the size of a large vitamin, offers a minimally invasive solution for AB block patients. To date, it is the most advanced pacing technology available and can be implanted directly into the heart through a catheter. Unlike traditional methods, there is no need for surgical incisions nor creation of pockets, which assures patients do not experience cosmetic scars or bumps. The implant has further proven over 99 per cent implant success rate with low dislodgement and infection rates.
The Medtronic Micra AV is a result of a decade-long programme, 'Deep Miniaturisation' that envisioned a world where medical devices would shrink by 90 per cent yet provide powerful state-of-the-art operations.
Groundbreaking procedures
The advent of technology has truly introduced renewed devices and complementary procedures that aim to bring relief into the lives of heart patients. The US-based Medtronic, which also boasts a presence in the Middle East and Africa, has revealed the EvolutT Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), a game-changer in the management of patients with severe aortic stenosis.
Replacing high-risk limited procedures such as Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) and open-heart surgery, TAVI is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to substitute the aortic valve. In this case, the heart is accessed through three points via an artery - transfemoral, subclavian or direct aortic - supported by imaging and delivery systems to place a compressed bioprosthetic heart valve within a diseased valve.
The benefits of this procedure includes significantly better outcomes, giving high-risk patients long-term survival rates.
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