Doctors at Gurugram Hospital Implant World’s Smallest Pacemaker for Second Time in Same Heart

Gurugram: Doctors at Gurugram's Paras Hospital successfully implanted the world’s smallest pacemaker, known as Micra, in the heart of an 88-year-old patient for the second time, the hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Doctors at Gurugram Hospital Implant World’s Smallest Pacemaker 

This remarkable achievement marks the first time in India that the Micra pacemaker, has been implanted in the same heart for a second time, the spokesperson added.

The procedure was necessitated due to the depletion of the battery in the first Micra pacemaker which caused severe lightheadedness and loss of consciousness to the patient.

According to an official statement, the patient showed symptoms of lightheadedness and uneasiness when he came to the hospital.

An ECG revealed a critically low heart rate of 30 beats per minute, prompting immediate admission to the hospital. 

Initial treatment involved the insertion of a temporary pacing catheter, a special wire with a balloon designed to prevent heart perforation, it said.

This was followed by the intricate task of implanting the second Micra pacemaker above the existing one, ensuring no interaction between the two devices.

"This is a first-of-its-kind procedure and has never been done in the country before," said Dr. Amit Bhushan Sharma, Director and Unit Head of Cardiology at Paras Hospital Gurugram.

"The Micra is the world’s smallest pacemaker, about the size of a vitamin capsule, and is leadless. When the patient came in with battery depletion and loss of consciousness, we had to act swiftly. We successfully implanted the second Micra pacemaker on top of the first one without stopping his blood thinners. This innovative approach minimized the risk of heart perforation and ensured both pacemakers functioned independently," he added.

"We used a basic catheter with a balloon to avoid heart perforation. The second pacemaker was placed above the first one to reduce the risk of complications. Special imaging ensured that both pacemakers were correctly positioned and did not interact with each other," Sharma added.

With PTI Inputs