Adventist Health Hanford offers procedure for 'world's tiniest pacemaker'

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Adventist Health Hanford is the first Central Valley hospital to offer patients the "world's tiniest pacemaker."

The first procedure was done in May.

The average pacemaker is a small device -- about the size of a matchbox. It's placed in the collarbone area to help a patient's heartbeat at a normal rate and rhythm.

However, as medical technology continues to improve, there's a new pacemaker available to patients that's out of sight and out of mind.

"Now we can place them inside the right side of the heart, and they're much, much smaller in size," explained Dr. Sukhvinder Bhajal.

The pacemaker device is called "Micra," and it's as small as a vitamin.

Dr. Bhajal and Adventist Health Hanford's Cardiac Catheterization Lab is the only facility in the Valley certified to perform the Micra implant.

"We go through the groin. A vein in the groin goes up to the right side of the heart -- and it's called the inferior vena cava -- and then through that, we can deliver this pacemaker in the right lower chamber of the heart," Dr. Bhajal said.

It's a minimally invasive procedure, which means patients won't have a scar or bump under their skin.

They can also go home the same day.

In addition, Micra places fewer post-implant restrictions on patients because the device has no wires.

Dr. Bhajal said this type of innovative technology is a huge benefit for the Central Valley.

He hopes to help more patients struggling with a slow-beating heart.

"I grew up in the Central Valley most of my life," he said. "One of the biggest things for me was to come back to the Central Valley, bring the latest technology and offer the services that we do offer here at Adventist."

For news updates, follow Amanda Aguilar on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.