Hospital trust first in UK to implant novel heart failure device
University Hospital Southampton (UHS) is the first in the UK to fit a heart failure patient with a sensor which alerts their doctor to any problems.
New way to monitor patients
The procedure is part of a cutting-edge international research study. It intends to prove this new way of monitoring and treating heart failure patients is safe and effective.
The unique technology is known as the FIRE1 System. It is a sensor about the size of a pen lid, designed to monitor the amount of fluid in the body. Elevated fluid levels can indicate worsening heart failure.
The device is implanted into the inferior vena cava (IVC), the body's largest vein. Located in the abdomen, the IVC carries oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart.
It works by continuously measuring the size of the IVC, giving a marker of the amount of fluid in the body. High levels can increase the risk of breathing difficulties and a build-up of fluid in the lungs. This can lead to an emergency hospital admission.
Implanting the device
The device is implanted during a simple 45-minute procedure, using a small catheter which is placed in a vein at the top of the leg. It is collapsed on entry so it can be pushed up into the IVC, where it expands to its full size.
After surgery, the team provide patients with an external detection belt. The patient wears this across their abdomen for one to two minutes a day. This powers the implanted sensor using radiofrequency energy.
Data is sent from a patient’s home to the heart failure team at UHS daily. The aim of this is to alert the team to early warning signs, so they can intervene before the patient's condition worsens significantly.
A team led by Dr Andrew Flett and Dr Peter Cowburn performed the procedure. They are both consultant cardiologists and heart failure specialists at UHS.
Preventing heart failure
Heart failure occurs when the heart can’t pump blood around the body efficiently, causing fluid to build up. Around 700 patients are admitted to UHS with the condition every year.
Common causes include high blood pressure (which puts strain on the heart), a disease of the heart muscle called cardiomyopathy, and long-term damage as a result of a heart attack.
Symptoms include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, swollen feet and ankles and fatigue. Patients may also feel light-headed, the heart may race, and they can occasionally faint.
It is estimated that more than 900,000 people in the UK are living with heart failure. This number is likely to rise due to an ageing population, more effective treatments and improved survival rates after a heart attack.
Heart failure admissions to hospital cost the NHS £2 billion per year. Methods to reduce this are a key focus for researchers and doctors.
Dr Flett said: “This innovative new device has the potential to improve patient safety and outcomes in the management of patients with chronic heart failure. We are delighted to be the first site in the UK to implant as part of this ground-breaking study.
“We have now successfully implanted a second patient with the device. Data is already being transmitted which we look forward to receiving so that we can intervene earlier in a bid to reduce hospital visits and keep patients well for longer.
“Heart failure is a significant burden on the NHS, and so pioneering advances such as this could help to reduce that pressure.”
He added: “It is estimated that one in five people will develop heart failure. Earlier intervention when patients start to deteriorate can make a huge difference and the hope is that this new FIRE1 device will do just that.
“It is an exciting new development for patients with this condition.”
FIRE1 has successfully completed its early phase of clinical trials. It is now expanding to evaluate the feasibility and safety of implanting the FIRE1 System in heart failure patients.