Miracle machine — in my chest
From the archive, first published Monday 11th Sep 2006.
A FATHER whose heart has stopped five times has told how a machine implanted in his chest saved his life.
Mark Eden, aged 45, has suffered from a chronic heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, for the past 14 years.
The dad-of-four was aged 32 when he was first diagnosed with the condition, which enlarges the heart and makes it weaker. He now takes a cocktail of drugs every day and can only walk short distances.
His heart failed for the first time when he had a serious chest infection in 2004.
Medical staff were able to save him, but he was diagnosed with arrhythmia, a condition where the heart can stop beating at any time.
Mr Eden, of Beech Avenue, Kearsley, a former heating engineer, was given the choice of having an implantable cardioverter defibrilator fitted - a mini version of the paddles used by doctors to re-start a patient's heart in an emergency.
Since having the three-hour procedure at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, his heart has stopped four times, but has been re-started each time by the cigarette box-sized device, which costs between £20,000 and £30,000.
Mr Eden said: "It was terrifying at first. The only thing I knew about defibrilators was what I'd seen on television, and all of a sudden I was having one implanted inside me.
"I do find it frustrating because I used to be such an active person, but I also feel very grateful about my implant because it's saved me so many times - I owe my life to it."
While the defibrilator has not cured Mr Eden's original heart problem, it has eased some of the symptoms.
The device, which will need to be replaced in about six years, is about twice the size of a pacemaker. It can either be implanted directly under the skin, or behind the muscles of the chest wall, which makes it less visible.
There are 100 people in Bolton who have had a defibrilator fitted into their chest.
Mr Eden and Tracey Higginson, a modern matron for cardiology at the Royal Bolton Hospital, have founded a support group for other people who suffer from heart arrhythmia and have had the implant fitted. The group will hold its first meeting this week to mark national Arrhythmia Awareness Week.
Mrs Higginson said: "More and more people will be having this device fitted. I've found that patients often need a lot of support, because they just don't know what's going to happen to them and can be very frightened."
The first meeting will be held in the Bridge Centre, Bradford Street, Bolton, between 6pm and 8pm on Thursday.
Archive Home
