WICHITA, Kansas – Air Force veteran Jay Honey could tell something just wasn’t quite right with his heart.
“I could just feel my heart rate suddenly go up and then go down again with no direct correlation to anything I was doing at the time. It’s concerning as I’m fairly healthy and only 42-years-old.”
Jay went to visit Ghiyath Tabbal, MD, a cardiologist with Heartland Cardiology and Wesley Medical Center and was diagnosed with vtac (Ventricular Tachycardia), a fast heart rhythm that left untreated could lead to cardiac arrest. Dr. Tabbal suggested they implant the new LINQ monitor, the smallest implantable cardiac monitoring device available. Wesley Medical Center is the first hospital in south-central Kansas to offer the procedure.
"The LINQ Implantable cardiac monitor is a small device, about the size of a match stick, that once implanted provides continuous 24-hour heart rhythm monitoring for a period of up to three years. The small size of the device greatly simplifies the implant procedure and results in an implant that is almost invisible. All the while providing information to aid in the diagnosis of the underlying cause of syncope, atrial fibrillation, palpitations and stroke,” said Tabbal.
The Reveal LINQ ICM is approximately one-third the size of an AAA battery (˜1 cc), making it more than 80 percent smaller than other ICMs. While significantly smaller, the device is part of a powerful system that allows physicians to continuously and wirelessly monitor a patient’s heart for up to three years, with 20 percent more data memory than previous monitoring devices.
“This new monitor will allow Dr. Tabbal to gather quite a bit of data which will help him understand what exactly is causing the faster heartbeat. I really want to know if it’s something genetic as I have children and would want to be aware of any heart condition that could affect them,” said Honey.
In addition to its continuous and wireless monitoring capabilities, the system provides remote monitoring through the Carelink® Network. Through the network, physicians can request notifications to alert them if their patients have had cardiac events. The Reveal LINQ ICM is indicated for patients who experience symptoms such as dizziness, palpitation, fainting and chest pain that may suggest a cardiac arrhythmia, and for patients at increased risk for cardiac arrhythmias.
Placed just beneath the skin through a small incision of less than 1 cm in the upper left side of the chest, the Reveal LINQ ICM is often nearly invisible to the naked eye once inserted. The device is placed using a minimally invasive insertion procedure, which simplifies the experience for both physicians and their patients. The Reveal LINQ ICM is MR-Conditional, allowing patients to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) if needed.
“The last heart monitor I had was about the size of a computer thumb drive and was very noticeable. I’m looking forward to having the smaller device implanted,” said Honey.
For more information about Wesley Medical Center’s cardiology services, please visit www.wesleymc.com. For more information about Heartland Cardiology, P.A., please visit www.heartlandcardiology.com.
Wesley Medical Center is the region’s leading acute care hospital network providing a full range of diagnostic and treatment services for patients throughout Kansas and northern Oklahoma since 1912. As a leader in Overall Recommended Care, Wesley treats more than 24,000 patients annually and delivers more than 6,000 babies – more than any hospital in a 13-state region. Wesley provides the most extensive emergency network in Wichita, with Wesley ER, Wesley West ER and Galichia ER. Wesley owns and operates Galichia Heart Hospital, WesleyCare Clinics and the Pediatric Center of Kansas. To learn more about Wesley Medical Center, please visit wesleymc.com.