Patient given heart implant that talks to medics by phone
A HEART patient has become the first in the world to be fitted with a new heart implant that can communicate with doctors on a smartphone, an NHS trust said.
David Southworth, 73, of Colchester, had an operation to fit the advanced implant at Essex Cardiothoracic Centre in Basildon.
Doctors have likened the device to having a “paramedic in your pocket” and Mr Southworth said it had already helped with his breathing.
The implant, the size of a pocket watch, can communicate with Mr Southworth’s consultant on a smartphone or tablet, wherever he is in the world.
The device has advanced algorithms which tailor its therapy to meet Mr Southworth’s needs.
It does this by monitoring his heart every minute, identifying irregular heartbeats and responding with small electrical impulses that correct the heart’s electrical signals and reduce patient symptoms. It also sends advance warnings to hospital consultants should it detect any changes that require professional intervention.
Dr Duncan Field, a consultant cardiologist at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, fitted the Medtronic Cobalt implant this month and has since carried out the procedure on other patients.
Dr Field said: “Mr Southworth’s early progress is encouraging, as improvement takes place during the first three to six months following implant.”
Mr Southworth said: “It’s helped me to breathe easier, walk further, and two weeks on I feel better for it already.”