Florida Hospital Fish Memorial Uses of Miniature Cardiac Monitor to Manage Irregular Heartbeats

ORANGE CITY, Fla. - July 30, 2014 - PRLog -- Florida Hospital Fish Memorial has begun using the smallest implantable cardiac monitoring device available for patients with palpitations, fainting, unexplained stroke or atrial fibrillation.

Called the Medtronic Reveal LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) System, it is tiny – approximately one-third the size of an AAA battery (~1 cc), making it more than 80 percent smaller than other ICMs.

“We are leading the way in advanced cardiac care with the new injectable Linq monitor, the latest in miniaturized medical technology. The procedure takes 30 seconds to complete, the incision is a skin nick of less than 1 centimeter, and the patient can go home or back to work after it's completed,” said Dr. Rajendra G. Hippalgaonkar (Dr. Hippal) cardiologist at Florida Hospital Fish Memorial.

While significantly smaller, the device is part of a powerful system that allows physicians to continuously and wirelessly monitor a patient’s heart for up to three years, with 20 percent more data memory than its larger predecessor, Reveal® XT.  In addition, the system provides remote monitoring through the Carelink® Network. Through this network, physicians can request notifications to alert them if their patients have had cardiac events.

“In the past, using a month-long, bulky, external monitor was the common alternative, but oftentimes, it would not provide an answer for the patient's symptoms during that time period,” said Dr. Hippal. “Linq is a new addition to the advancements in technology and procedures that Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is committed to providing the West Volusia community.”

The Reveal LINQ ICM is ideal for patients who experience dizziness, heart palpitations, fainting and chest pain which may suggest a cardiac arrhythmia, as well as those at increased risk for cardiac arrhythmias.

The device is placed during a minimally invasive procedure, which simplifies the experience for both physicians and their patients. Inserted just beneath the skin through a small incision of less than one centimeter in the upper left side of the chest, the Reveal LINQ ICM is often nearly invisible to the naked eye once inserted.

The Reveal LINQ ICM is also MR-Conditional, which means patients with this device implanted can undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), if needed.

About Florida Hospital Fish Memorial
Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 45 hospital campuses and nearly 8,300 licensed beds in 10 states. With 175-beds, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial provides exceptional, patient-focused care to the DeBary, Deltona, Orange City and Sanford communities. Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. For more information, visit https://www.floridahospital.com/fish-memorial.

Photo Caption:
Florida Hospital Fish Memorial has begun using a miniature cardiac monitoring device for patients with palpitations, fainting, unexplained stroke or atrial fibrillation. Here, cardiologist Dr. Rajendra Hippalgaonkar [Dr. Hippal], Florida Hospital Fish Memorial chief operation Officer Danielle Johnson, and Medtronic sales representative Michael Maher show how small the device actually is.