Quirónsalud Marbella hospital applies an innovative technique to improve the implantation of pacemakers
Once again, the Cardiology Unit of Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital positions itself at the forefront in its speciality with the consolidation of a pioneering technique that offers a solution to heart disease patients with pacemakers.
Once again, the Cardiology Unitof Quirónsalud Marbella
Hospital positions itself at the forefront in its speciality with the consolidation of a pioneering technique that offers a solution to heart disease patients with pacemakers. This procedure, which is in the process of adoption in Spain, requires highly qualified and experienced specialists and therefore it is yet an infrequent technique in the majority of medical centres.
Conventional pacemakers include a two-electrode device implanted inside the heart: one is for stimulation of the right atrium and the other for the right ventricle in a coordinated way. "On occasion, heart disease with a weakened heart and heart failure required three-electrode heart stimulation systems, one of which was implanted with difficulty on occasion in the left ventricle. This new physiologic stimulation technique allows us to attain the same objective, i.e. adequate contraction of the cardiac muscle, without the need for a third electrode in the case of many patients", explains Cardiologist Julia Fernández Pastor.
There are two different types: His-bundle pacing and left bundle branch pacing. Our expert highlights that the latter of them "is providing highly positive outcomes and coordination levels for both ventricles that are equivalent to the traditional technique without requiring coronary sinus and branch catheterisation. In summary, we manage to stabilise the patient’s heart disease minimising the risks involved in more complex procedures".
Physiological stimulation is considered for elderly patients with pacemakers who suffer an existing heart disease, but it has also been consolidated as an effective alternative for specially young patients with mild heart disease who will be wearing the device for many years. "We have performed this type of technique in both situations and without complications. In all cases, the results obtained agreed with the studies published and obtained a positive control of the symptoms; besides, the length of stay in hospital was the same as with conventional implant techniques, with next day hospital discharge", specified Doctor Fernández Pastor.
Frequent procedure
In 2021, 38,893 conventional pacemakers were implanted in Spain, according to the Spanish Pacemaker Register, although it is estimated that the figure could be higher. Implantation of a heart stimulating device is a relatively common procedure. There are several types of devices depending on the specific heart disease.
In terms of patient profile, the disease is more frequent in male (59.7% of the total in year 2021) than female patients and the average age is 78-year-olds. The most frequent cause for the recommendation of a pacemaker is fibrosis or deterioration of the heart electrical conduction system in the context of old age (around 85%). The remaining causes are associated to an existing heart disease or the incidence of other procedures (iatrogenic disease resulting from surgery, ablation procedures, etc.). The most frequent symptom that indicates the need of a pacemaker is the syncope (nearly half the cases), followed by heart failure and asthenia.
