Great strides have been taken in the medical imaging community as of late. European patients with a Nanostim leadless pacemaker, in addition to new patients implanted with the device, may now undergo full body MRI scans without having to worry about safety.
The St. Jude Medical Nanostim leadless pacemaker is much smaller than a traditional pacemaker, running at about only ten percent of its size. It is designed to be implanted directly into the heart, which eliminates common complications associated with leads, chest incision, and surgical pockets. The Nanostim leadless pacemaker is implanted via a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) through a femoral vein into the heart using a miniature delivery system, and is designed to be fully retrievable for repositioning throughout the procedure, and later retrieved if necessary.
Performing the procedure in this way allows for the patient to lead a still active life after the pacemaker is implanted; it also eliminates the visible lump and scar of conventional pacemakers implant sites.
“The Nanostim leadless pacemaker is one of the most important advances in the history of pacemaker technology,” said Mark Carlson, MD, vice president of global clinical affairs and chief medical officer of St. Jude Medical. “The freedom from leads and now the ability for patients with the Nanostim leadless pacemaker to undergo MRI scans are important factors for physicians as they consider treatment options.”
“It’s important that my patients in need of pacemakers also have the freedom to undergo MRI diagnostic scans for other conditions, if needed,” added by cardiologist and electrophysiologist Tom Wong, MD, of Royal Brompton Hospital in London. “This new labeling provides that flexibility and will be of great benefit to patients to ensure peace of mind for the future.”
