DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) – It’s been two years since the FDA approved a new heart device, offering a treatment option for patients with slow or abnormal heart rhythms. Now the northland has access to that life-saving technology.
Aspirus St. Luke’s leaders say they are the only health system in the region offering a new device for heart care, and a Wisconsin native was the first patient to undergo the operation successfully.
John Higney and his wife Gina live in Cornucopia, WI, where at 71 years old they still prioritize an active lifestyle.
That is until John’s history of low heart rate finally caught up with him three months ago.
“After playing some pickleball, I actually passed out for the first time. So, I started meeting with Dr. Brigham three weeks later, the monitor showed that my heart actually stopped for like 4 and a half seconds,” said Higney.
Higney has now had a dual leadless pacemaker implanted in his heart, technology that Aspirus St. Luke’s doctors say are the only ones in the region offering.
Dr. Gary Brigham explains the device itself works by pacing the heart’s chambers in a way that no other technology can.
“It’s exciting because this is an evolution in terms of how our pacing is done and pacing is a big part of our job and so this offers a nice solution to a lot of patients,” said Dr. Brigham.
Higney and his family have been benefitting from that solution.
“As much as it was relief for me to have an option like that, it was more a relief for my wife as well because the anxiety and the stress that she was feeling, thinking about how much longer I have,” said Higney.
Gina, his wife, could not agree more; considering doctors tell her this procedure added at least another 17 years to her husband’s life.
“And then he gets home, and after a couple of days, it’s like I had my old John back,” said Gina Higney.
The start of many more years together.
“We still expect to be around until we’re 90 or more, we got places to go, people to see, and things to do,” said John.
Higney says he is feeling great post operation and back to his usual activities, but he will continue to visit Aspirus St. Lukes for check-ups moving forward.
Aspirus St. Luke’s leaders say this device eliminates the need for wires and chest incisions. They add that traditional pacemakers can carry long-term risks like infections, vein blockages or lead breakage.
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