Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center First in Texas to Use the FDA-Approved LINQ - Insertable Cardiac Monitoring System

Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center (BSLMC) announced today that it's the first hospital in Texas to begin using the revolutionary Medtronic LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitor micro device that transforms a physician's ability to diagnose and treat even the most difficult-to-detect cardiac arrhythmias.  The device is a programmable tiny injectable cardiac monitor, which is 87 percent smaller than the currently used Reveal model. The injection implant takes minutes from start to finish and a patient overnight stay is no longer required.

The LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitor is an implantable patient-activated and automatically activated monitoring system, which records ECG subcutaneously and is indicated in cases where patients have clinical syndromes or situations at increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias, or patients who experience transient symptoms such as dizziness, palpitation, syncope and chest pain that may suggest a cardiac arrhythmia.

“We're very excited to be the first hospital in Texas to offer this new device to our patients,” said John Seger, MD at BSLMC. “We believe the simplicity of the system will lead to a better patient experience while providing powerful data to help us diagnose quickly and efficiently.”

Arrhythmia refers to the imbalance of electrical impulses spreading through the body causing the heart to beat at an unsteady rate of either too fast, too slow, or spontaneously. The most common type is AFib, which is an abnormal heart condition affecting approximately 2.66 million Americans and is considered one of the most common irregular rhythm disorders in adults over the age of 65.

Currently, patients with undiagnosed arrhythmias are subject to multiple types of testing, such as holter monitoring, external loop recorder, ECG, or tilt table. The goal is to utilize this miniature diagnostic device to reduce unnecessary and potentially inconclusive testing.

Through adoption and implementation of the LINQ complete cardiac monitoring system, patients suffering from irregular heart rate, syncope, palpitations, or cryptogenic stroke, as well as those suffering long-term non-specific symptoms attributable to cardiac arrhythmia will now be diagnosed with greater effectiveness.  

For more information or make an appointment with a physician specializing in the LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitoring System, contact the Baylor St. Luke's Referral Center at 832-355-3627.