NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – Southcoast Health System announced today that Southcoast hospitals are among the first in the region to receive early use of the new Boston Scientific S-ICD System before it is widely available on the market. The Boston Scientific S-ICD System is the world’s first and only commercially available subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S-ICD) for the treatment of patients at high risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Currently, Southcoast is one of the first hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to receive the device, along with Brigham and Women’s, Massachusetts General, Tufts Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Rhode Island Hospital.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is an abrupt loss of heart function, typically caused by rapid and/or chaotic activity of the heart. Recent estimates show that approximately 850,000 people in the United States are at risk of SCA and would benefit from an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Occasionally, patients are not eligible for the traditional device due to other health reasons such as a high risk for infection or limited access to the major veins of the heart. The S-ICD presents a new option for patients who are not candidates for traditional ICDs because it is implanted just beneath the skin without the need for thin, insulated wires – known as leads – to be placed into the heart itself. This leaves the heart and blood vessels untouched.

“Southcoast’s early allocation of these devices is testament to its dedication to deliver the most beneficial cardiac technology available, close to home,” said electrophysiologist, Ramin Davoudi, MD, who is trained on implanting the device. “We believe we were chosen to be among the first to offer this device because of the depth and breadth of our cardiac services. All of our electrophysiologists are board certified, and our expert physicians have years of experience and successful patient outcomes. This marks an exciting development in heart care for the South Coast region.”

The new device is designed to provide the same protection from SCA as a traditional ICD and studies have shown the S-ICD to be just as effective in controlling dangerous heart rhythms.

For more information on Southcoast’s Cardiovascular Services, visit http://www.southcoast.org/heart/.