Images Dated 16th March 1998

Fingers hold a heart pacemaker for implantation

Heart pacemaker. Fingers hold a WG 8950 heart pacemaker which will be implanted in a patient's chest. Pacemakers supply electrical impulses to the heart to maintain a regular heartbeat. They correct a condition called heart block, in which the heart's natural pacemaker fails to work properly because of heart disease. The device fits just below the skin and allows the patient to lead a normal, active life. The pacemaker seen here is a standard design which has been modified at Munich University, Germany. It has had a sensor incorporated into it which detects the amount of blood the body requires, & speeds the pacemaker's impulses in response to physical exercise

© VOLKER STEGER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY