The tiny device making a big difference for heart patients
Doctors at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia have successfully implanted leadless pacemakers in patients suffering from heart-rhythm disorders. This minimally invasive technology offers a safer alternative to traditional pacemakers for patients with specific medical complications.
Why it matters
Advancements in cardiac technology improve patient outcomes and reduce the risks associated with traditional surgical procedures.
Leadless pacemakers offer a less invasive alternative to conventional pacemakers, which require a surgical pocket beneath the skin and electrical leads threaded into the heart. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: When 68-year-old Adabiah Darus began experiencing frequent dizziness and near-fainting spells earlier this year, she assumed they were simply part of growing older.
Instead, they turned out to be warning signs of a heart-rhythm disorder.
When an electrocardiogram (ECG) at a clinic revealed abnormal readings, Adabiah was referred to Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. There, specialists diagnosed her with sick sinus syndrome - a condition in which the heart's natural pacemaker fails to regulate the heartbeat properly.
Doctors then recommended a leadless pacemaker, a tiny capsule-shaped device implanted directly into the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. Adabiah was among the first patients to undergo the procedure at HCTM earlier this month.
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