A Cardiac Pacemaker of a Principally New Type

A pacemaker has been implanted in Israel that maintains the natural rhythm of the heart.

Israeli surgeons have performed the implantation of a pacemaker for the first time, which directly connects to the bundle of His, an anatomical structure of the heart whose function is to transmit electrical impulses. The innovation is characterized by its use of the heart's natural electrical system, thereby helping to avoid possible side effects that are typical with the use of traditional pacemakers, particularly the reduction of heart function.

Pacemakers have long been used to treat patients with heart pathologies. A pacemaker is a device that stimulates the heart rhythm by exciting the myocardium. Pacemakers allow people to maintain a full life and prolong life. However, they have some side effects related to the fact that the heart rhythm is set by generating electrical impulses, without involving the natural electrical impulse conduction system.

Natural Stimulation

The design of the new pacemaker is such that its electrode connects to the natural electrical conduction system of the heart, thus heart contractions occur in the most natural way.

The devices have been implanted in three patients suffering from heart rhythm pathologies. All three patients, aged between 50 and 80 years, feel great.

Professor Luria, a world-class cardiologist and electrophysiologist in the field of heart treatment and pacemaker implantation, says that the use of such a pacemaker has a great future.

The professor explained that the implantation procedure itself was more complex and longer than that of a traditional pacemaker. But the benefits that the innovation provides for maintaining the patient's health justify the efforts expended.

The Future of the New Method

Professor Luria says: “When testing a conventional pacemaker, an unnatural rhythm was observed, which set an external electrical signal for the myocardium. This method, however, maintains an almost ideal heart rhythm, making it difficult to determine that the heart is not working on its own, but with the help of a pacemaker. The new method of heart maintenance has great prospects, for example, it helps to avoid severe situations where a repeat implantation surgery is required to add a second electrode or switch to a bipolar configuration of the pacemaker.”