For the budget minded or uninsured there is an option.
Heart pacemaker implant
- Thread starter DWalt
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DWalt
Member
I read last week that a joint effort between UT-San Antonio and the UT Health Sciences Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) has established a new graduate degree program for the development of Artificial Intelligence in medicine. No telling where all of this is headed. Could be that in 20 years, there may no longer be a need for doctors as they exist today. They will be sort of like Bones on Star Trek. UT-San Antonio already has what is probably the country's foremost program in artificial intelligence and computer security. Mostly DoD funded.
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For the budget minded or uninsured there is an option.
My dad is scheduled for a replacement and I have an appointment tomorrow with the same doctor to see about getting one. We have decided use this diy and see about getting a bogo.
Puller
Member
Mrs. Faulkner was diagnosed with Parkinson's in her mid 40's and to help manage the symptoms she received a DBS (direct brain stimulator) which has a pacemaker-like implant below her collar bone. The first one's battery lasted eight years but when it came time to replace it the technology had advanced so that the replacement unit was 1/3rd the size of the first and it is rechargeable.
It takes her an hour or so to charge while watching TV every couple of weeks by placing the charger over the DBS, kind of like a wireless iPhone charger. Medical technology really is a miracle at times.
It takes her an hour or so to charge while watching TV every couple of weeks by placing the charger over the DBS, kind of like a wireless iPhone charger. Medical technology really is a miracle at times.
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DWalt
Member
I have to wonder what kind of battery works for 20 years without recharging? Maybe they should be used in EVs.
For the budget minded or uninsured there is an option.
I still think that thing looks like the thermostat from my old 1971 Chrysler Newport.
Beats the heck out of using jumper cables.
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
It's all about the electrical parameters the patient requires and how the unit is programmed. Like any battery, it has a finite capacity, and the less it is used, or the lower the current flow, the longer it will last. So, if one person is completely dependent and the pacer is working 100%, it will last half as long as it would in someone who only needs it 50% of the time, given the same current flow. When implanted, electrical measurements are taken, of the minimum voltage that has to be delivered in order to stimulate the heart reliably, and the electrical resistance of the system, which can differ between patients. The battery is then programmed to deliver a low voltage that still stimulates, and that determines the current flow from the battery, along with the percentage it has to pace the heart. Not everyone would get 20 years. It can take as little as 0.3V to stimulate cardiac muscle, and resistances are typically around 300 ohms. Divide volts by ohms to get current and you see it takes very little energy, in the realm of microjoules. Pacer batteries start out around 5VDC, but can be programmed higher, up to around 8VDC if needed, but typically can be dropped to around 1.5-2VDC. The batteries are lithium dioxide, or at least they were when I was a rep. The technology has made quantum leaps since then. Implantable defibrillators were fairly new when I was working and I wasn't as involved with them, although I did attend implants on developmental models.
Stuff is getting better and more expensive all the time. Had a recall on my pacemaker(on the battery I guess) when it still had 5 yrs left. I was told by the Boston Scientifics tech 60 of 'em had bad batteries. I won the lottery. Battery is good for about 12 yrs on mine. they just replaced the head? with the battery and the new was smaller than the 6 yr old one. Mine keeps my pulse rate to 60-62 rather than 25-35...Feels better at 60
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DWalt
Member
Wife has her minimum set at 60, max at 120. I remember when she first went on the pacemaker there was a period of experimentation to determine the optimum rate. It was a little complicated because she is missing a part of one lung.
From two weeks ago.
The report Rusty has is the one my doc receives...The 30th of this month..I get to see her in about two weeks. Sometimes they do an in office read. My max rate isn't set by the PM I don't think but I could never really get that high...max of 125-130...but had AT A fib/flutter well over 200 BPM . Using medication I have an occasional run of fib.. Last seconds usually. My sister's husband is in constant V Fib. Some people tolerate it for years. Some have to have ablations.
