No Surgery with Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator

A new cardioverter defibrillator requires no surgery since it monitors the heart from outside the body. If it senses an abnormal heart rhythm, it gives a series of alarms and delivers a shock within 30-50 seconds to return normal heart rhythm. The device has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Called the WCD 2000 system, the device features a strap worn over the chest below the heart, which is connected to the central unit. The system weighs about three pounds and can be held in place by a belt or a lightweight vest. In a three-year clinical trial involving 289 patients in 16 hospitals in Germany and the United States, the system was responsible for six life-saving events. The WCD 2000 is the product of Lifecor, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA, USA). Currently, patients known to be at risk for sudden cardiac arrest must undergo surgery to have implanted defibrillators installed.

"There is a large, worldwide market for wearable defibrillators and we expect to develop a robust business for them,” said Dr. Stephen Heilman, chairman of Lifecor. "More importantly, we expect that our breakthrough will save many, many lives in the years ahead.”




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