Malaysia's IJN Ready To Use S-ICD System To Protect Patients From Sudden Cardiac Arrest

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- The National Heart Institute (IJN) expects to use its latest subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S-ICD) system on more patients who are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, following positive signs shown by the device in recent surgeries. "IJN has succesfully implanted this device on a 12-year-old patient (left) suffering from hypertropic cardiomyopathy. The patient showed positive signs," said Dr Razali Omar (right). The IJN head of electrophysiology said this at a media conference on the latest S-ICD system here Monday. He said the system was designed to provide protection from sudden cardiac arrest, whereby a defibrillator was inserted under the patient's skin at the subcutaneous layer without the hassle of fine leads or wires connected to the heart. "This leaves the heart and blood vessels untouched but allows the chaotic rhythm to be reverted, just as in the traditional tranvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillators," he added. The procedure to implant the device took about 45 minutes to an hour and lasts for five years before they were removed and replaced with new ones, he said. According to Dr Razali, IJN is the first hospital in the country to implant the system. The S-ICD system has two main components: (1) the plus generator, which powers the system, monitors heart activity, and delivers a shock if needed; and, (2) the electrode which enables the device to sense the cardiac rhythm and serves as a pathway for shock delivery when necessary. Dr Razali said the implantation of S-ICD system was straightforward and could be done using only anatomical landmarks which removed the need for fluoroscopy (an X-Ray procedure that is required for standard leads to be placed in the heart). Cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function, mostly caused by the rapid and/or chaotic activity of the heart known as ventricular tachcardia or ventricular fibrillation. (photoBERNAMA) --BERNAMA