UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital is the first hospital in Cedar Rapids to offer a new, FDA-approved device designed to protect patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
Dr. Talha Farid, an electrophysiologist at St. Luke’s, recently implanted the area’s first extravascular implantable cardioverter defibrillator (EV-ICD), marking an important advancement in heart rhythm care for the region.
Sudden cardiac arrest is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating. It is fatal without immediate CPR or a shock from a defibrillator.
The EV-ICD continuously monitors the heart and delivers a life-saving shock or pacing therapy when it detects a dangerous rhythm, preventing cardiac arrest. It is the only defibrillator of its kind that provides both anti-tachycardia pacing (for fast heart rates) and temporary bradycardia pacing (for slow heart rates), offering patients a broader range of protection.
Unlike traditional implantable defibrillators placed near the collarbone with wires threaded through veins, the EV-ICD is implanted in the left chest wall. Its leads are positioned beneath the sternum without entering the bloodstream.
“This approach reduces risks such as vein damage, vessel blockage and other complications associated with wires placed inside blood vessels,” according to the hospital’s news release.
The device is also designed with an expected battery life of 10-plus years, which is intended to reduce the number of replacement procedures patients need over time.
“This is an important advancement for many patients who need protection from life-threatening heart rhythms,” Dr. Farid said. “Having this technology available gives us another safe and effective option to support long-term heart health.”
St. Luke’s is undergoing a $25 million Heart & Vascular Center expansion, slated for completion in June. The first phase of the project updated its existing electrophysiology (EP) lab and opened a second one. The two new spaces, along with additional EP physicians, have more than doubled St. Luke’s capacity for treating patients with heart rhythm disorders, allowing patients to be treated sooner.
