New technology aims to reduce hospital visits for Warwickshire stroke and cardiac patients

The South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust’s Cardiology Team have implanted their first patients with a LINQ II device to reduce the need for patients to physically visit hospital.

The team carried out the small, minimally invasive, procedure on their first five patients including Emma Spencer, who is a medical student working at the Trust, on Wednesday January 20.

LINQ II is a small (one-third the size of a AAA battery), wireless implantable cardiac monitor (ICM) for patients who experience symptoms including dizziness, palpitations, syncope (fainting), or chest pain to establish if their symptoms are potentially caused by a heart abnormality; or for stroke patients when the cause of their stroke is yet to be determined.

Their symptoms can present infrequently and randomly; patients therefore require long-term monitoring or ongoing management.

The device is placed just beneath the skin through a small incision, which is less than one cm, in the upper left side of the chest.

The LINQ II system offers patients a consistent way to be connected with their physician throughout diagnosis and treatment with remote monitoring options which suit their lifestyle (either via smartphone or standalone device), providing reassurance for patients and delivering clinically relevant data and insights to our healthcare teams.

The key benefit of the system is its ability to be remotely programmed which, along with the its remote patient monitoring features, can reduce 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 well-being 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.”