TEEN RECEIVES UPDATED PACEMAKER IMPROVED DEVICE TO END GIRL'S FAINTING SPELLS.Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer WESTWOOD - One of Stacy Klein's last fainting spells occurred during a health class at Calabasas High School Calabasas High School is a four-year high school, freshman-senior, in Calabasas, California, United States. Calabasas High School, which serves portions of Calabasas and the West Hills, Los Angeles, California section of Los Angeles, is one of three high schools in the Las . She had been focusing on what the teacher was saying, and then all of the sudden the room got blotchy blotch n. 1. A spot or blot; a splotch. 2. A discoloration on the skin; a blemish. 3. Any of several plant diseases caused by fungi and resulting in brown or black dead areas on leaves or fruit. tr. and she started sweating. ``At that point, I knew I was going to faint,'' she said. ``I laid down on the floor and got my feet up. That was like the last straw last straw n. The last of a series of annoyances or disappointments that leads one to a final loss of patience, temper, trust, or hope. [ that got us to the point where we are at right now.'' Where she was at Saturday was in a hospital bed, recovering from surgery in which doctors successfully implanted a new pacemaker. Her doctor said Stacy, 14, was the first child in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. to receive the new implantable cardiac pacemaker cardiac pacemaker A device that delivers a small electric shock to the heart to effect cardiac contraction at a pre-determined rate designed in the Netherlands with a new feature that senses when the heart rate slows abnormally. ``It picks up the problem earlier and more accurately than traditional pacemakers,'' said Stacy's doctor, Dr. Kevin Shannon, a pediatric pediatric /pe·di·at·ric/ (pe?de-at´rik) pertaining to the health of children. pe·di·at·ric adj. Of or relating to pediatrics. arrhythmia arrhythmia (ārĭth`mēə), disturbance in the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. Various arrhythmias can be symptoms of serious heart disorders; however, they are usually of no medical significance except in the presence of specialist at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . Stacy recalled her traumatic fainting spells and the surgery that could change her life from her hospital bed at Mattel the day before she was expected to be released. The pacemaker, by Vitatron Medical in the Netherlands, has been available for use in Europe for more than a year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the new technology for use at the end of November. A 60-year-old L.A. man became the first person in the United States to receive the pacemaker. Stacy became the ideal candidate for the approximately $12,000 surgery several months ago, when cardiologists learned that she suffered from an abnormal regulation of the heartbeat, called vasovagal syncope vasovagal syncope n. See vagal attack. vasovagal syncope Neurocardiogenic syncope, see there . About 20 percent of adults have experienced or will experience an episode of vasovagal syncope in their lifetimes. But Stacy's case was extreme. ``She's passed out on occasion as many as eight times in a day,'' Shannon said. ``On more than one occasion she has injured herself. This was having a fairly dramatic effect on her life.'' For Stacy, though, fainting spells may be a thing of the past. ``I'm pretty confident we got this thing licked,'' the doctor said. ``It shouldn't happen with her again. Her heart rate fell early this morning and the pacemaker intervened. She didn't feel a thing.'' With the fainting spells, Stacy's mother, Marla, 46, had a difficult time letting her daughter out of her sight. ``She'd be sitting at the table. One second she'd be fine. The next second, she'd say, `Mummy' . . . and she'd be on the floor,'' her mother said. ``I was always afraid when she's not with me what would happen when she would cross a street.'' Now she's confident things will be different. ``She'll be happy out with friends, doing normal kids' stuff when she should be doing normal kids' stuff.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Stacy Klein, 14, is recovering from Friday's pacemaker surgery, which doctors expect will end chronic fainting spells. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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