![]() ![]() The new loop recorders are much smaller about the size of three matchsticks laid side by side which means they can be ‘injected’ into the skin and the opening glued shut, making the device barely noticeable once in place. This creates scar tissue, and the device is still very noticeable under the skin. They have to be implanted in the cath labs, which involves making a surgical incision and then closing it with sutures. “Traditional loop recorders are about the size of a USB stick. It struck me that they had so many benefits, so when I came back to Castle Hill, I made a point of getting them introduced. “It was when I was working as a locum at another Trust that I first saw the very small devices being used. īut now advances in technology mean that doctors could soon know there’s a problem before the patient does, as Lee Wise, Cardiac Physiologist based at Castle Hill Hospital explains: Patients experiencing unexplained blackouts are set to have their hearts monitored using a new device, no bigger than three matchsticks, and their smartphone.įor some time, implantable loop recorders have been fitted in patients for cardiac monitoring, but at the size of a computer USB stick, they were visible under skin, had to be surgically implanted in a cath lab, and patients had to return to hospital regularly for the data to be reviewed. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging data available for 15 of these SSc patients showed markers of cardiac damage that significantly correlated with these heart rhythm abnormalities.New injectable technology means doctors could know there’s a problem before you do In this pilot study, the heart monitor picked up a variety of heart rhythm abnormalities in more than half of the cohort of 19 SSc patients, including supraventricular ectopics, ventricular ectopics, ventricular tachycardia and complete heart block. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and takes 15-20 minutes. Electrodes that monitor the heart's electrical activity are on the surface of the device, so there are no wires, and the device is enclosed in a protective case. The device, about the size of a pack of chewing gum, is typically inserted through a small cut to lie under the skin in the upper left chest. Its use is well established in cardiology practice. It is capable of storing ECG data automatically in response to any significant change in heart rhythm, or in response to patient activation when symptoms are experienced. This heart monitor (also known as an implantable loop recorder) is a subcutaneous, single-lead, electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring device used to diagnose heart rhythm abnormalities. ![]() "Early diagnosis and treatment to reduce the risk of complications is therefore essential and crucial for a positive outcome," she added. "We know that cardiac involvement in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is associated with a very poor prognosis, accounting for between 14 and 55% of deaths among patients with SSc,", said Dr Lesley-Anne Bissell of the Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Cardiac involvement is thought to be common in patients with SSc, although there are often no symptoms or signs. Damage to the heart as a direct consequence of SSc may involve the conduction system that controls the heartbeat, the heart muscle, heart valves and/or the external lining of the heart. SSc is an autoimmune rheumatic disease affecting multiple organs, including the heart. ![]()
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