Gran first to get device in chest to warn doctors she’s in danger
A BRITISH woman has received the world’s first in-heart micro-computer which instantly tells doctors if her health is in danger.
Margaret McDermott, 75, a grandmother of 1 , is taking part in a clinical trial aimed at improving care for patients with heart failure.
She said the device, implanted in the left atrium of her heart, was a ‘miracle’ that had transformed the quality of her life since her surgery in July.
Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is too weak to pump blood around the body. Victims struggle to breathe and suffer swollen legs, with many eventually needing a transplant or dying young.
Experts believe the technology could save the NHS millions by keeping patients healthy. The wireless monitor, called the V-LAP, allows doctors to track patients. If the device detects abnormalities in the patient’s heart, doctors are alerted automatically so they can intervene early, before the condition worsens.
They will then contact the patient for a consultation and the patient’s medication could be adjusted. Currently, if doctors want to check changes to heart signs, patients must be admitted to hospital.
Experts said the technology, made by Israeli firm Vectorious, is the most accurate form of home heart monitoring yet available.
Mrs McDermott, from Birmingham, said: ‘It’s wonderful. Every day I wake up and I’m not out of breath. Before I was really struggling, and relying on inhalers. It feels like a miracle.’