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IntermtnMedCtr - Non-surgical Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker Implanted - A Utah Medical First

Thumbnail of the video “IntermtnMedCtr - Non-surgical Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker Implanted - A Utah Medical First”
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Author: IntermtnMedCtr
Categories: Health
Tags: health
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 18:32 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Intermountain Medical Center's Heart Institute used a non-surgical leadless cardiac pacemaker, the Nanostim, as a first-of-its-kind procedure in Utah and the Intermountain West for a patient whose heart kept beating out of rhythm after multiple prior treatments. The device is placed directly inside the heart, avoiding the chest battery pack and transvenous wires used in conventional pacemakers.

Key Points

  • The patient, Susan Thomas, was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation about four years earlier, which causes the upper heart chambers to beat too quickly to pump blood effectively.
  • Despite cardioversions, ablation procedures, and a mitral valve replacement, her heart stayed out of rhythm, which led to the leadless pacemaker procedure.
  • Conventional pacemakers use a chest battery pack connected by wires through the veins to the heart; those wires flex and twist up to about 100,000 times a day and typically last around 20 years before breaking down.
  • The leadless device is less than 10% the size of a conventional pacemaker and leaves no visible lump, scar, or insulated wires.
  • According to the patient, she left the hospital the next day in rhythm, walked out on her own, and regained enough energy to resume evening activities and trips.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions: The video describes the implant sequence rather than instructions for viewers. A sheath (largely a tube) is inserted into a large vein in the leg and advanced under X-ray guidance into the heart. Once it reaches the bottom chamber and clears the valve, the device is screwed into the heart wall with a few turns, and the screw holds it in place. The device has two ends: a knob and a screw.
  • The patient was discharged the day after the procedure and reported visiting Flaming Gorge two days later, then attending two plays and the fair in the following week.
  • The device is described as designed for placement directly into the heart, which is the source of the "leadless" name.
  • The transcript is a patient testimonial and procedural description; it does not report long-term outcomes, complication rates, or comparative data.

Bottom Line

A non-surgical leadless pacemaker offers a less visible alternative to traditional pacemakers, with the patient in this video reporting quick recovery and improved daily function, though the video does not provide long-term or broader outcome data.