Today, in the 39st Department of Cardiology of the Clinical Hospital of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Medical University of Karola Marcinkowski in Poznań, Reveal Linq – the smallest syncope recorder – was implanted for the first time in Poland. The procedure was performed by dr hab. Przemysław Mitkowski, med. The aim of the procedure is to diagnose the causes of syncope in a XNUMX-year-old patient.
Medtronic’s Reveal LINQ is a small device, about the size of AAA batteries. It is used for long-term heart rate monitoring (rhythm evaluation). The device is inserted under the patient’s skin during a minimally invasive procedure that lasts about 6 minutes. The implant can work for up to 3 years, continuously transmitting information to the monitoring device – MyCareLink, thanks to which the recording is constantly monitored and, more importantly, available to the doctor in the center taking care of the patient. If the results are worrying, the attending physician may decide to call the patient to the hospital or order an ambulance.
As doc. Mitkowski “Reveal LINQ is very easy to implant due to its small size. The collected data allows for constant monitoring of the patient in whom it is difficult to make a final diagnosis. It is especially useful in the diagnosis of syncope of unknown cause and palpitations. Thanks to the recorder, we can control heart rhythm disturbances, including atrial fibrillation, and implement effective treatment in time. “
The patient who was implanted with the recorder today is a 39-year-old man who has fainted four times in the past, the cause of which could not be determined despite numerous tests, including invasive electrophysiological tests.
In the world, implanted syncope recorders have been implanted for several years. In Poland, as part of the diagnostics reimbursed by the National Health Fund, patients undergo Holter tests that record the heartbeat only for 24 hours. Sometimes they are performed for several consecutive days, usually no more than 72 hours.
“Remember that an abnormal heartbeat or adverse event can only be detected with the recorder when it occurs during the examination. A day, because this is how long Holter monitoring takes, is too short a time to diagnose events that occur for no apparent reason, at a random moment, causing falls ending in injuries – explains Assoc. Mitkowski – a syncope recorder, established for many months, enables the registration of such episodes that occur rarely – once every few weeks or even months, and have significant consequences for the patient’s health. “
Reveal Linq allows for the normal activity of the patient without restricting his movements. Thanks to long-term monitoring, it is possible to find out the causes of the disease without the need for multiple medical visits, and in emergency cases – immediate assistance.