NEW heart procedures at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital NHS Trust will provide a "better all-round service" to patients.

Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation and coronary angioplasty will be introduced to the cardiology department this summer.

The first involves implanting a small defibrillator under the skin, which is connected to the heart by leads.

The device automatically monitors heart rhythm, detects when a patient is experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest and delivers an electrical shock directly to the heart as needed to correct the problem.

The second procedure is used to treat narrowed heart arteries by inflating a balloon within the artery to crush fatty deposits.

Cassandra Bombata, principal cardiology manager, said: “The cardiology department is very excited about the new procedures we will be able to offer our patients.

"It will provide a better all-round service to our cardiology patients locally.“