A grandmother of six has spoken out about the benefits of having a new life-saving device implanted into her heart.

The cutting-edge device is the size of a grain of rice and is used by experts at Guy’s and St Thomas’ to help patients with heart failure.

Unlike conventional devices, the implant has no leads. It is placed directly inside the heart.

It slowly becomes part of the heart as its lining grows over it.

Frances Rodgers, 70, from Dartford, has atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate and was one of the first people to receive the implant.

She had the surgery in September 2016.

News Shopper:

Frances

Frances said: "I had another device fitted in 2000 but in 2015 I started to get very breathless so my doctor said I needed an upgrade which required another lead to be put in.

"But they couldn’t get it in because one of my heart valves had narrowed and although they tried their best, I was told nothing more could be done.

"By that point I was struggling to go up the steps to reach my front door and I was sleeping 18 hours a day.

"Then my doctor at Darent Valley Hospital told me that Professor Rinaldi was implanting a revolutionary device at St Thomas’, which I could have because it had no leads, and he put my name forward for it."

Professor Aldo Rinaldi, consultant cardiologist and professor of cardiac electrophysiology, said: "This type of device, known as a cardiac resynchronisation (CRT) device, is always placed inside the left ventricle which is the chamber that pumps oxygenated blood to organs around the body.

"Where we place it can affect how well it responds so our precise imaging system is very important.

"For example, some patients who have had a heart attack may have scarring inside the heart and the device won’t work well if it’s put there."

The team at St Thomas’ is one of only three around the country to use the implant.

Frances could not believe the difference the procedure had made.

She said: "I’m not breathless, I sleep less, I can walk further and seeing friends and family is easier. It’s a miracle."