Implantable Loop Recorder (ILR)
Long-term implantable heart monitor for detecting infrequent arrhythmias, unexplained fainting and cryptogenic stroke — continuous cardiac monitoring for up to three years.
What is It?
An Implantable Loop Recorder (ILR) is a small, thin cardiac monitoring device that is placed just beneath the skin of the chest during a simple, minimally invasive procedure. It continuously records your heart rhythm for up to three years, providing your cardiologist with long-term data to detect infrequent or elusive heart rhythm abnormalities.
At One Heart Centre, our cardiologists use implantable loop recorders as an invaluable diagnostic tool when standard short-term monitoring has not captured the cause of your symptoms.
Why is It Performed?
At One Heart Centre, our cardiologists may recommend an Implantable Loop Recorder to:
- Investigate unexplained fainting (syncope) or near-fainting episodes that occur infrequently
- Detect intermittent arrhythmias not captured by Holter or event monitors
- Assess for atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic (unexplained) stroke
- Monitor heart rhythm over the long term following catheter ablation or other treatments
- Investigate unexplained palpitations that are too infrequent for short-term monitoring
The ILR provides continuous surveillance of your heart rhythm, significantly increasing the likelihood of capturing and diagnosing the cause of your symptoms.
What Does the Test Involve?
The implantation is a quick, minimally invasive procedure performed under local anaesthetic, usually in a procedure room or catheterisation laboratory. A small incision (approximately 1–2 cm) is made on the chest, and the device is placed just beneath the skin. The incision is closed with a small adhesive strip or stitch.
The procedure typically takes only 10–15 minutes, and most patients return home the same day. Once in place, the device continuously monitors your heart rhythm in the background without you needing to do anything. Data can be transmitted remotely to your cardiologist at One Heart Centre for review.
When clinically appropriate, the device can be easily removed in a similar minor procedure.
What are the Benefits?
- Continuous heart rhythm monitoring for up to three years
- Significantly increases the chance of diagnosing infrequent arrhythmias
- Quick, minimally invasive implantation under local anaesthetic
- Remote monitoring capability for convenient, ongoing follow-up
- Provides definitive diagnostic answers when shorter-term monitoring has been inconclusive