First U.S. wireless pacemaker
Carol Kasyjanski is not a household name but she is a sign of things to come. Recently, Ms. Kasyjanski became the first person in the United States to have a pacemaker with a wireless home monitoring system. The pacemaker transmits data to her doctor, who can then log into his computer and download the patient’s information from a remote location.
Kasyjanski, who has suffered from a severe heart condition for more than 20 years, says the device has given her renewed confidence and a new lease of life, because if her pacemaker were to malfunction or stop working, only immediate action would save her life.
Dr. Steven Greenberg, the director of St. Francis’ Arrhythmia and Pacemaker Center, said the new technology helps him better treat his patients and will likely become the new standard in pacemakers.
Wireless technology is only limited by the imagination, given the right regulatory framework, we can expect that in the coming years devices like this one will change lives for the better.
