By 1 2 1 News Reporter
MOHALI, 11th JULY:-- Dr. Sudhir Saxena, Principal Consultant, Interventional Cardiology and Coordinator of Cardiology Services at the Max Super Specialty Hospital, Mohali said that the MRI-compatible pacemaker has proven to be a boon for all patients in need of a pacemaker, especially the elderly as now they can safely undergo MRI evaluation. The elderly usually require an MRI for several conditions, the most common being brain, spine, joints and abdomen imaging. However, till now with the previous generation pacemaker installed, they could not undergo an MRI scan for their entire life, worsening conditions in the later stages,"
while talking to media persons he said there are almost three million people living in the world at present with pacemakers which restrict them from undergoing MRI scans. What's worse, one in every two such patients requires an MRI sometime in their life. MRI is a widely used imaging technique in a broad range of conditions such as cancer, musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiovascular disorders. He added that such challenges have only made it necessary for pacemakers to be attuned with MRI as patients cannot deal without the pacemakers nor can they be denied an MRI due to several pressing conditions."
Dr Saxena further said that the number of patients benefiting from MRI Compatible cardiac devices has been escalating. The last few years have seen a growth in demand for such devices. This was especially in the interest of the elderly population apart from the other patients who require pacemaker implant. After the age of 65, a person's chances of needing an MRI doubled. We have seen many cases where the MRI could not be done, as the patient had a conventional pacemaker implanted, which was a big hindrance to our diagnosis and treatment."
Dr Saxena cited an instance of a 77-year-old female who had a history of hypertension, diabetes and a history of heart disease for almost 20 years. She was implanted with dual chamber pacemaker due to complete heart block. Around two years back, she was suspected for acute pancreatitis and had to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. But as luck would have it, she had growth in the colon for which she required an MRI. Unfortunately it couldn't be done as she was on a pacemaker of the previous generation.
Elaborating on the pacemaker,Dr Saxena said that About one million people worldwide got pacemaker implanted every year and many among them need an MRI scan during their life time. The previous generation pacemakers could be a serious impediment for these patients barring them from undergoing any MRI scanning as the exposure to magnetic radiation could cause permanent damage to the pacemaker through the wires which get heated up in the heart. However the MRI compatible pacemaker has no such effects and would ensure that patients can safely receive the diagnostic imaging. It was absolutely safe and isn't expensive. For many elderly patients, MRI was much more vital than just being a superior diagnostic tool. In many complications of older patients, MRI was the only available non-invasive diagnostic tool."
Explaining about the Conventional Pacemaker, Dr Saxena warned that the designs of conventional pacemakers include a metal wire that connected the pacemaker to the heart. During an MRI, the wire could get hot, seriously affecting the blood vessels, scarring the heart, and potentially inducing a rapid heart condition, which could prove fatal."
It is important that people must understand that the MRI friendly pacemaker is for new heart patients. Patients, who already have the conventional pacemaker implanted, are usually not advised for replacing it as it is a risky procedure. Patients must also keep in mind that they cannot go for an MRI atleast till 6 weeks after getting the pacemaker implanted. The pacemaker requires a certain position of the patient inside the MRI tube so as to avoid most chest scans. In addition to the chest scan exclusion, there is a restriction on how much radio-frequency energy can be deposited into the body by the scanner.
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