St. Luke's University Health Network has completed its first successful implantation of the Medtronic Micra Transcatheter Pacing System, the first in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Cardiac electrophysiologist Sudip Nanda performed the procedure to implant the pacemaker on Aug. 9 at St. Luke's Hospital Bethlehem Campus.Mary Molinari of Mount Pocono is not only the first patient in northeastern Pennsylvania to benefit from this new technology, she is a primary example of how St. Luke's is providing better health care to the people of Monroe County."This revolutionary technology is the first FDA-approved leadless pacemaker," says electrophysiologist Darren M. Traub,medical director of the St. Luke's Heart Rhythm Center."Comparable in size to a large vitamin, the Micra can be placed minimally invasively through a catheter and can pace the heart for up to 12 years."Dr. Douglas Degler,Molinari's primary care physician, referred her to cardiologist Dr. Jeffrey Bair, both of whom practice in Monroe County.After reviewing the other factors affecting Mary's health, Bair referred her to Nanda to consider a wider range of options.Nanda recommended the pacemaker to address Molinari's irregular heart rate, which is very slow at times, causing her to become lightheaded and even pass out on occasion.Other factors include a stroke that weakened her entire right side and a bilateral mastectomy Mary had years ago that provided challenges by creating thick scar tissue.The Micra device provides the unique capacity to pace her heart, and not interfere with veins of either arm, which could cause serious complications in post-mastectomy patients."As soon as this technology became FDA approved we worked with the hospital administration to make the Micra available to select patients - like Mary - who qualify for the device," Dr. Traub said.To implant the Micra pacemaker, Nanda made a small incision in Molinari's groin and threaded the pacemaker through her femoral vein and into her heart.The Micra TPS is attached to the heart with small tines and delivers electrical impulses that pace the heart through an electrode at the end of the device. It responds to the patients' activity levels by automatically adjusting therapy.Molinari, who returned home the next day, says she is recovering nicely."It affords me a better quality of life without compromising my other health issues. Dr. Nanda and his staff were amazing. The treatment I received was first-rate. I look forward to many more years of living my life to the fullest."