First implantation of device preventing sudden cardiac arrest performed in Almaty
Cardiologists at the Central City Clinical Hospital in Almaty have carried out the hospital’s first procedure to implant an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), a device used to protect patients from dangerous heart rhythm disorders and sudden cardiac arrest, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The surgery was performed on a 58-year-old man suffering from severe cardiovascular disease accompanied by advanced heart failure. Tests showed a critically low ejection fraction of 27-28%, far below the normal level of 55-70%, indicating a high risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.
Due to the patient’s condition, doctors determined that urgent intervention was necessary. To reduce the risk of fatal complications, specialists opted for the implantation of a high-technology cardiac device capable of responding to acute rhythm disturbances.
“The ICD implantation was performed under local anesthesia. The device was inserted into the subclavian region, and the electrodes were passed through the blood vessels into the heart chambers. "If a dangerous rhythm disturbance occurs, the device automatically recognizes the problem and responds immediately, restoring normal heart function at the critical moment when the chances of successful rhythm restoration are highest," explained Gani Tulepbergenov, an arrhythmologist at the Central City Clinical Hospital.
According to medical staff, the ICD continuously monitors the heart’s rhythm and can deliver immediate therapy if a dangerous irregularity occurs, providing long-term protection both in hospital settings and after discharge. As a result, the patient has since stabilized and was released from the hospital for continued outpatient follow-up.
As reported earlier, Kazakhstan plans to open field-specific units at regional hospitals countrywide to improve the availability and quality of specialized medical care.
