Page 39 - 2019 Annual Report
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BLUE RIDGE RANKING
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A typical modern pacemaker is a small, battery-powered unit implanted beneath the skin and connected to the heart with tiny wires that deliver the electrical impulses to stimulate and regulate the heartbeat. Over time, these implanted wires can cause complications and may need
to be surgically removed or replaced. The Micra pacemaker is the world’s smallest and can be inserted in a patient’s heart through a leg or neck vein, avoiding the trauma of open chest surgery. Because the pacemaker itself attaches to the heart muscle, no wires are needed.
“Wires can break, especially in active kids,” says Pediatric Electrophysiology Cardiologist Daniel Cortez, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Cortez has implanted over a dozen of these pacemakers. “Wires that might last 20 years in an adult, can break in two to three years in an active child.” Although this type of pacemaker is not for everyone or every condition, for many patients it offers a safer, less intrusive option.
41%
INCREASE IN RESEARCH FUNDING
$175M AWARDED FROM NIH
Medical School announces Climate Change Grants with a focus on student- driven innovation to reduce the impact of medical packaging waste.
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Medtronic MicraTM
