World's smallest defibrillator installed at John Hunter Hospital

Heart electrician Dr Brad Wilsmore carried out the revolutionary 45-minute surgery at Lingard Private Hospital in the morning.

The device,  about the size of a watch and less than 10millimetres thick,  treats life-threatening  arrhythmias.

Using a small incision, it’s slipped under the skin on the left side of the chest while a small wire passes through a vein into the heart.

‘‘If the heart goes fast or slow the device registers it and goes this is not good  ... patient is going into cardiac arrest,’’ said Dr Wilsmore,  one of only three electrophysiologists –  who specialise in heart rhythm – from the North Shore to Queensland.

‘‘Just like in the movies it gives you a shock, but from the inside.’’

Dr Wilsmore said the main users  were those with cardiomyopathy – where a patient’s heart doesn’t pump properly. 

He said it had the potential to save lives yet 50per cent of those who would benefit from the device don’t get it – even though it’s free and covered by Medicare.

He said this was largely due to a lack of awareness.

‘‘This is the first mini, they’ve really miniaturised the device compared to all the competitors,’’ Dr Wilsmore said, holding up the Boston Scientific MINI model.

‘‘The thinness is really important for patients, because it sits under the skin you can imagine the thicker it is the more it protrudes.’’

Dr Wilsmore said the patient who had the surgery, a 40-year-old woman, was very thin and ‘‘you could barely see’’ the device.

He said her brother died last year at the age of 40 but if he’d had the device he’d still be alive.

Dr Wilsmore said that when someone went into cardiac arrest, every minute up to 10 minutes reduced the chance of  survival by 10per cent.

‘‘These devices detect it instantly. Within five seconds it charges and shocks after detecting it.’’