A new, innovative device is helping to reduce hospital visits for cardiac and stroke patients in Warwickshire.
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust saw its first five patients given the LINQ II implant, which enables remote monitoring and reduces the need for patients to physically visit the hospital.
The device is described as being one-third of the size of a AAA battery, and is implanted beneath the skin via an incision measuring less than 1cm made on the upper left side of the chest. The LINQ II then enables patients to consistently remain connected with their physician throughout the journey from diagnosis to treatment, and offers remote monitoring options to suit their lifestyle. This can be done via smartphone, or standalone device.
LINQ II is used to monitor patients who experience dizziness, palpitations, syncope or chest pain in order to establish whether or not their symptoms are caused by a heart abnormality, or for stroke patients when the cause of the stroke is still undetermined. As symptoms may present themselves infrequently and at random, patients require long-term monitoring or management to aid in their treatment. Once the LINQ II has been implanted, the system can then be remotely monitored which reduces the need for patients to come into hospital.
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust’s Medical Director, Charles Ashton, said: “A major focus of our Trust is to support people to lead healthier lives by improving the wellbeing of our community and focusing on health prevention rather than illness.
“The LINQ II device will assist our Trust with this aim by helping stroke and cardiac patients to lead more independent lives. The system will provide our patients with the reassurance to help them manage their conditions at home with the knowledge that our clinicians will be able to remotely support and monitor their health.”
