Ascension Seton first in Austin to offer insertable heart monitor

Ascension Seton is the first healthcare system in Austin to implant a new cardiac device that can help detect abnormal heart rhythms. The Medtronic LINQ IITM Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM), is a small, wireless medical device for patients experiencing infrequent episodes of atrial fibrillation (AFib), or syncope (fainting), or who have experienced a stroke of unknown cause, which may require long-term monitoring or ongoing management.

AFib is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias, in which the upper chambers of the heart, or atria, quiver or beat very fast and irregularly so the heart cannot effectively pump blood to the rest of the body. Sometimes arrhythmias are infrequent and require continuous, long-term monitoring to record irregular heart rhythm data to detect underlying conditions.

The LINQ II ICM can wirelessly and continuously monitor a patient for up to four and a half years and is the world’s first to feature remote programming, potentially reducing the need for patients to come into the office to have their device settings adjusted in-person.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to provide patients with monitoring pathways they can rely on and use remotely,” said Dr. Mauricio Hong, cardiologist at Ascension Seton. “The timely remote programming technology paired with improved accuracy and device longevity allows us to better manage patients who experience cardiac arrhythmias and define treatment protocols without them having to come into the office.”

The LINQ II device is one-third the size of a AAA battery, placed just beneath the skin through a small incision (less than one cm) in the upper left side of the chest, using a minimally invasive procedure. The device was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020.