Innovators with big ideas

Dr Paul Roberts, consultant cardiologist

With the support of UHS, I was the first in the UK to fit a revolutionary pill-sized pacemaker called a Micra transcatheter pacemaker. At one-tenth the size of a traditional model we were able to implant it directly into the wall of the heart.

Traditional models are inserted under the skin through an incision in the chest and connected to the heart via one or more leads which carry electrical signals to correct slow or irregular heartbeats but they can require replacement due to broken or dislodged wires and the pacing lead can often cause complications. The new device delivers electrical impulses from an electrode, removing the need for a lead, reducing the risk of infection and recovery time.

It was truly an honour to play a part in such a milestone for cardiac rhythm management in the UK.

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