NEWSMAX: The new pacemaker reduces the chances of infection and is also more cosmetically desirable, Dr. Crandall tells Newsmax Health. “It can also be easily removed in case the patient improves and no longer needs it,” he added.
In addition, because of the device’s smaller size, the battery should last longer, and might not need to be replaced over the patient’s lifetime. Current pacemakers need battery replacement every 7 to 12 years, which requires surgery.
The device could benefit the more than 4 million patients globally who have a pacemaker. Some 700,000 new patients receive one each year. Like traditional pacemakers, the new device treats the too-slow heart rhythm problem known as bradycardia. It works by monitoring the heart’s electrical rhythm and, if the heart rate is too slow, provides the electrical stimulation to regulate it… (more)
