Belgium achieves medical milestone with micro-pacemaker implantation in newborn baby

belgium - A groundbreaking surgery took place in Belgium as doctors successfully implanted a micro-pacemaker in a newborn baby for the first time in the country, marking a rare achievement globally.

A milestone was achieved in Belgium as doctors at the Saint-Luc University Hospital in Woluwe successfully implanted a micro-pacemaker in a newborn baby for the first time in the country. This procedure has been carried out only around fifty times worldwide. The surgery took place just a few hours after birth, as the infant was experiencing an extremely low heart rate, a condition diagnosed while still in the womb. Medical interventions were initiated from the 24th week of pregnancy to accelerate the heart rate and minimize the risk of heart failure, under close medical supervision.

"Given the high risk of premature birth and low birth weight, the medical team adopted a device never before used in Belgium: the Medtronic micro-pacemaker," remarked the Saint-Luc University Hospital. This device, specifically designed for infants with low weight, allowed for a shorter hospital stay by eliminating the need for other alternatives like intravenous drug treatment or temporary pacemakers to increase the heart rate before surgery.

The newborn arrived five weeks ahead of the due date, prompting collaborative efforts from obstetrics, neonatology, pediatric intensive care, pediatric cardiology, anesthesiology, and surgery teams to perform the procedure immediately after birth.

"The implantation was a resounding success, with the child's heart rate returning to normal," stated the hospital. After spending a few days in the pediatric intensive care unit and subsequently in the pediatric cardiology unit, the baby was discharged relatively quickly, just in time to spend the end-of-year holidays with family.

This milestone in Belgium remains a rare occurrence globally, with only about fifty reported cases, mainly concentrated in the United States, according to the hospital.