New Type of Pacemaker Implanted at The University Hospital

Contact: Amy Bomar or Erika Turan (513) 585-7200
Date: 08/29/2002

Cincinnati--The University Hospital is the first hospital in the Tristate to begin implanting a new type of pacemaker system. Adbul Haji, M.D., director of the electrophysiology lab at The University Hospital, was the first to implant the new device. The INSIGNIA pacemaker, approved by the FDA earlier this year, is produced by Guidant Corporation. The new pacemaker has an improved shape, size, processing speed and recording ability over other pacemakers. Its new features allow physicians to perform easy and quick comprehensive patient follow-up tests. The device contains a motion detector to sense when and how rigorously a patient is moving and a breathing monitor to measure how frequently and deeply a patient is breathing. Heart rate is adjusted according to motion and breathing measurements. "This device is an improvement over other pacemakers," says Dr. Haji. "Its smaller size means that it can be inserted with a smaller incision, and its tear drop shape means that it is less noticeable and more comfortable to patients." The INSIGNIA pacemaker monitoring devices allows physicians to store recordings of a patient's heart rhythm to determine when medication may be required and how well the medication is working. The device also records how often the patient is active, which helps physicians monitor whether patients need to be more active. A pacemaker is an artificial electronic device that is implanted in the chest to regulate the heart's rhythm by sending electrical impulses to one or more chambers of the heart. Physicians recommend pacemakers for patients with abnormally slow heartbeats. The University Hospital is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes The Christ Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care.