At the European Heart Rhythm Association congress in Vienna, cardiologist-electrophysiologists Shmaila Saleem-Talib and Hemanth Ramanna of the HagaZiekenhuis Heart Center demonstrated live a new pacemaker implementation technique. Via a live connection between Vienna and The Hague, Saleem-Talib and Ramanna demonstrated the implantation of a pacemaker via the jugular vein instead of the groin vein. During the annual congress, cardiologists and technicians worldwide share the latest innovations in cardiac care.
Saleem-Talib looks back: “The interest from cardiologists within Europe and beyond shows that this method is an important development within cardiac care. Moreover, it gives me the opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues from other countries, which contributes to the further refinement and implementation of this technique.” It has been five years since the HagaZiekenhuis first applied this technique in a European hospital.
Global interest
Cardiologists worldwide are showing great interest in this innovative approach and want to learn it under the guidance of the HagaZiekenhuis. Since last year, the HagaZiekenhuis has also been training cardiologists from Europe to learn this innovative technique. In cooperation with the University of Zurich, eight training courses are organized annually, four of which take place at the HagaZiekenhuis Heart Center. The first training took place in spring 2024 and focuses on experienced physicians who have mastered regular pacemaker implantation.
Patients who receive a pacemaker placed through the jugular vein experience less pain and can also return home sooner. They are also less likely to bleed afterward than when inserted through the femoral vein. In addition, placing a pacemaker through the neck is a shorter route toward the heart than when done from the groin. This makes the procedure easier and more patient-friendly. Cardiologist Shmaila Saleem-Talib will soon receive her doctorate on the new technique. The Heart Center has also already published several articles on this treatment.
Heart Center
The HagaZiekenhuis Heart Center has been in existence for twenty years and is the regional center of expertise for cardiac care. This applies to research, treatment and training. The center has two specialties: cardiology and cardiosurgery. The HagaZiekenhuis is the first hospital in the Benelux with an MRI-Ablation Center. They have been treating patients with heart rhythm disorders here since 2020. The cardiosurgery specialty includes treatments such as (minimally invasive) bypass, heart valve, aortic and cardiac rhythm surgery.
Since last summer, the Heart Center has been using what it calls the “groundbreaking” new implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). An ICD regulates the heart rhythm of patients with life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. This latest generation ICD, called EV ICD, is a vast improvement over existing models, according to the hospital.
