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Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing
12:45

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing

Published on: December 11, 2017

Aubrey Leatham and the introduction of cardiac pacing to the UK

A John Camm1, Sue Jones, Michael D Gammage

  • 1British Heart Foundation Professor of Clinical Cardiology, St George's Hospital and University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK. jcamm@sgul.ac.uk

Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology
|July 7, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Dr. Aubrey Leatham pioneered cardiac care at St. George's Hospital, developing auscultation skills and establishing a UK cardiac unit. He was instrumental in the UK's first indwelling pacemaker implant in 1961.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical History

Background:

  • Establishment of a dedicated cardiac unit at St. George's Hospital by Dr. Aubrey Leatham in the early 1950s.
  • Development and teaching of cardiac auscultation as an essential clinical skill.
  • Integration of clinical cardiac patient care with physiological academic research.

Discussion:

  • Dr. Leatham's pioneering work in cardiac pacing.
  • The first UK implantation of an 'indwelling' pacemaker in 1961 by Siddons, Humphries, and Leatham.
  • The technical details of the early pacemaker, including its nickel-cadmium power source requiring weekly recharging.

Key Insights:

  • The foundational role of Dr. Aubrey Leatham in establishing modern cardiac care and research at St. George's Hospital.
  • Significant advancements in cardiac pacing technology, exemplified by the 1961 pacemaker implantation.
  • The historical context of early pacemaker technology and its limitations.

Outlook:

  • The legacy of Dr. Leatham's contributions to cardiology and clinical practice.
  • The historical significance of early cardiac pacing in managing heart block and Stokes-Adams attacks.
  • The evolution of pacemaker technology from early designs to modern devices.

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