Ascension Sacred Heart Bay first in area, among first in U.S. to implant new defibrillator

Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald
·2 min read

PANAMA CITY − A local hospital has successfully incorporated a new technology that officials believe will help save lives.

According to a press release from Ascension Sacred Heart Bay, it is the first hospital in the region and among the first in the U.S. to successfully implant into a patient a Medtronic Aurora Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.

The new technology, implanted for the first time in Bay County on April 17, is designed to treat patients with dangerously fast heart rhythms that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

Ascension Sacred Heart Bay is the first hospital in the region and among the first in the U.S. to successfully implant a Medtronic Aurora Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay is the first hospital in the region and among the first in the U.S. to successfully implant a Medtronic Aurora Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.

"The new system allows us to offer patients the benefits of traditional defibrillators, while reducing certain risks that come with placing leads inside the veins and the heart," Dr. Nghia Hoang, a cardiac electrophysiologist, said in the release. "We strive to deliver high-quality patient care, and this technology is another step forward in providing our patients with the latest clinical advancements to manage their cardiac condition."

The release notes sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. This is caused by a disturbance in the heart's electrical system, and it leads to a drop in blood flow throughout the body.

To avoid long-term complications in patients who receive the Medtronic Aurora Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, the lead is installed under the breast bone and outside the heat and veins.

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According to the release, more than 356,000 people in the U.S. annually have out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

"It's been 18 months of growth for our cardiovascular services," Robin Godwin, president of Sacred Heart Bay, said in the release. "As the area's heart hospital, we continue to look for and secure the latest technologies and bring them to our community to improve the quality of life of the patients we serve."

David Vickers, of Panama City, Fla., shows his defibrillator incisions May 7, 2024. The first-of-its-kind operation to treat abnormal heart rhythms was conducted at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Panama City, and the Medtronic Aurora Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator device was FDA approved in October 2023. (Tyler Orsburn/News Herald)
A defibrillator operating room is seen at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Panama City, Fla., May 7, 2024. (Tyler Orsburn/News Herald)
A defibrillator operating room is seen at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Panama City, Fla., May 7, 2024. (Tyler Orsburn/News Herald)

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Ascension Sacred Heart Bay successfully implants new defibrillator