Internal defibrillators have saved innumerable lives since they were first introduced in 1980. They vastly improve the quality of life for many patients

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE, December 21, 2013 /EINPresswire.com/ -- College Basketball Player Ends Career After Internal Defibrillator Goes Off


Internal defibrillators have saved innumerable lives since they were first introduced in 1980. They vastly improve the quality of life for many patients and keep them off dangerous drugs. But that doesn't mean having one in your chest is entirely without risk, as Allan Chaney, a college basketball player who has just retired, learned the hard way.

Heart Fears

Chaney is a good example of a patient using an internal defibrillator, because he goes against the stereotype of a heart disease sufferer: He's young, he's fit, and he's not prone to abusing his body, nothing like the stereotype of the hard-living old person in denial many view as suffering from heart disease. But Chaney got an unpleasant surprise in 2010; after transferring to Virginia Tech to join their basketball team, he collapsed while working out.

A visit to the hospital found that Chaney was suffering from viral myocarditis. An inflammation of cardiac tissue, viral myocarditis can affect anyone. Despite the name, it can be caused by other microorganisms as well, such as fungus, parasites, or bacteria. And Chaney found himself the latest victim; for his safety, he was implanted with an internal defibrillator.

How Internal Defibrillators Work

Unlike the defibrillators you're familiar with, an internal defibrillator is more akin to a pacemaker. It's carefully implanted in the chest of the patient, with leads carefully connected to the heart. It monitors heart rhythm closely for signs of arrhythmia, and if it detects them, it provides the heart with a brief shock to restore proper rhythm. Many current models can be accessed and settings changed with wireless signals, and wireless charging is becoming more popular as well.

If you're wondering how a basketball player with such a severe disease was cleared to get back on the court, well, he wasn't. Chaney transferred to High Point to continue his career, and that's when he discovered, unfortunately, that an internal defibrillator is about saving lives, not necessarily comfort.


Life With An Internal Defibrillator

Internal defibrillators rarely, if ever, shock their owners without cause. The units are designed, from the ground up, to essentially be there when you need them and to otherwise fade into the background. Unlike a pacemaker, it doesn't have to deliver a consistent shock to the heart, so patients can go months, even years, without their defibrillator activating itself, and can live their lives normally, even engaging in exercise if their doctor recommends it. Essentially, a patient can live a normal life; the units were designed to make that possible.

Chaney, however, was suddenly taken out of the game due to his defibrillator activating in the middle of a game. It's not a painful experience, exactly, but patients are aware a shock has been delivered, and it's often a warning to take things a little easier.

That's certainly how Chaney interpreted it; sadly, he's brought his career to an end, as the risk to his heart is too great. But the good news is that, thanks to an internal defibrillator, he'll be able to live a longer, richer life. And in the long run, that's a lot more important than a basketball career.

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