Photo courtesy of: PRHC
Peterborough Regional Health Centre says it has completed its first implantable cardioverter defibrillator procedure, marking a significant expansion of cardiac care in the region.
The hospital says the first implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, procedure was performed in March in PRHC’s cardiac catheterization lab by Dr. Heather Cox, deputy chief of surgery and section lead for vascular surgery.
Hospital officials say PRHC is now the only hospital between Kingston and Scarborough to offer the procedure.
An ICD is a small battery-powered device implanted under the skin to monitor and treat dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to sudden cardiac death. The device can deliver pacing or electrical shocks to restore a normal heartbeat, even if a patient is unconscious.
“It’s a life-saving procedure to receive a defibrillator,” Cox said in a statement.
She said the procedure allows patients to be monitored continuously and treated automatically if a dangerous heart rhythm occurs.
Cox said patients previously had to travel to Kingston or Toronto for the procedure, making the addition of ICD implantation in Peterborough a major step forward for local and regional cardiac care.
Peterborough resident Ron, the first patient to undergo the procedure at PRHC, said he is recovering well and feeling “fantastic.”
Hospital officials say the addition of ICD implantation is part of a broader expansion of PRHC’s cardiac program as it works toward offering full-service cardiovascular care in the region.
The hospital credited support from the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation and donors through the Campaign for PRHC for helping make the expansion possible.
Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway said donor support continues to play a key role in building the hospital’s cardiac care capacity close to home.
