Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute is First in Tampa Bay to Offer the S-ICD System Defibrillator for Patients at Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
(PRWEB) January 06, 2014 -- Florida Hospital Tampa is first in Tampa Bay to offer the revolutionary new implantable defibrillator from Boston Scientific, called the S-ICD System for patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) through its renowned Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute. Sudden cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function; most episodes are caused by the rapid and chaotic activity of the heart known as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It’s the world’s first and only commercially available subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S-ICD) for the treatment of patients at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. The S-ICD System sits just below the skin without the need for thin, insulated wires- known as leads- to be placed into the heart itself. This leaves the heart and blood vessels untouched, providing a new exciting solution for patients. “For many years, we’ve had implantable defibrillators that have clearly saved lives of patients who are at risk; the problem with the traditional defibrillators is the leads. Some leads have been recalled and we’ve had to remove them. Now, with the S-ICD system there are no leads inside the heart and the long term risk for infection is lower. This is yet another first for Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and an exciting new technology for select patients at risk for SCA. We successfully performed the procedure on two patients on Monday, December 23rd. Both patients are doing well,” said Dr. Yamamura, Medical Director of the Electrophysiology Lab at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute.
The S-ICD System has two main components: the pulse generator, which powers the system, monitors heart activity and delivers a shock if needed. The second component is the electrode which enables the device to sense the cardiac rhythm and serves as a pathway for shock delivery when necessary. Both components are implanted just under the skin- the generator at the side of the chest and the electrode beside the breastbone. Implantation with the S-ICD System is straightforward and can be done using only anatomical landmarks which removes the need for an X-ray procedure that is required for standard leads to be placed in the heart.
“Once implanted, the S-ICD System is designed to not limit range of motion and most patients are able to resume normal daily activity shortly after the procedure. The outpatient procedure takes about 40 to 50 minutes. This is a giant leap forward in the therapy in congestive heart failure patients,” said Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Sawar. The S-ICD System is commercially available in many countries in Europe as well as New Zealand. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted regulatory approval for the S-ICD System in September of 2012. So far, more than 2,000 devices have been implanted in patients around the world. To learn more or to see if you meet the criteria to receive the S-ICD System, call (813) 615-7300.
About Florida Hospital Tampa
Florida Hospital Tampa is a not-for-profit 475-bed tertiary hospital specializing in cardiovascular medicine, neuroscience, orthopaedics, women’s services, pediatrics, oncology, endocrinology, bariatrics, wound healing, sleep medicine and general surgery including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. Also located at Florida Hospital Tampa is the renowned Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, a recognized leader in cardiovascular disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and leading-edge research. Part of the Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital is a leading health network comprised of 23 hospitals throughout the state. For more information, visit http://www.FHTampa.org.
About Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute
Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, located at Florida Hospital Tampa, is a free-standing cardiovascular institute providing comprehensive cardiovascular care with over 76,000 angioplasty procedures and 11,000 open-heart surgeries in the Tampa Bay region. Leading the way with the first accredited chest pain emergency room in Tampa Bay, the institute is among an elite few in the state of Florida chosen to perform the ground breaking Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure. It is also a HeartCaring designated provider and a Larry King Cardiac Foundation Hospital. Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute, affiliated with the University of South Florida (USF), are exploring and conducting leading-edge research to develop break-through treatments long before they are available in most other hospitals. To learn more, visit http://www.FHPepinHeart.org.
About Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 30 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit http://www.bostonscientific.com.
Jennifer McVan, Florida Hospital Tampa, http://www.fhtampa.org, +1 (813) 615-7395, [email protected]
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