In December, the PSR EP team implanted their first EV-ICD – an Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator – with Dr. Tariq Salam as the lead implanter.
The Medtronic EV ICD system is a first-of-its-kind implantable defibrillator, designed to avoid certain risks of traditional, transvenous ICDs because its lead (thin wire) is placed outside the heart and veins, under the sternum (breastbone). The system offers anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP), pause prevention pacing, and a device similar in size, shape, and battery longevity to transvenous ICDs. Using a minimally invasive approach, the device is implanted below the left armpit (in the left mid-axillary region).
By placing the leads of the ICD outside of the heart, the rise of long-term complications is reduced, with no reduction in effectiveness of the device itself. The Pulse team was among the first in the nation to utilize this new technology.
For more information about Pulse Heart Institute and its programs, visit the Pulse website or call:
Inland Northwest 509-755-5500
Puget Sound Region 253-572-7320