Your Child’s Loop Monitor Insertion

The Medtronic LINQ II ™ is a cardiac monitoring system that will help your doctor diagnose and treat irregular heartbeats. The LINQ II ™ finds (detects) and records abnormal heart rhythms for up to about 5 years.

Procedure

• Your child will get their Loop Monitor during a day surgery. This means your child will go home the same day as the procedure.

• Your child will have local anesthesia for the insertion. Some patients need sedation too.

• The surgeon will make a small cut (incision) in your child’s chest for the Loop Monitor. The surgeon will close the incision with stitches (sutures) and thin, sticky, bandages (Steri-Strips). Then a member of the care team will cover the incision with a bandage.

• Your child will not need antibiotics after the procedure.

• A Medtronic representative will provide education and instructions on using the Loop Monitor after the procedure.

Activity

• Your child will need a parent or other caregiver to drive them home after the procedure.

• Your child can return to school or work within 1 day of the procedure.

Incision Care

• Keep the large bandage in place for 1 week.

• Do not use ointments or lotions on the incision site.

• Your child can shower 1 day after the procedure.

• Do not scrub or soak the incision site.

• The incision needs to fully heal (usually about 2 weeks) before taking a bath or using pool.

• Let Steri-Strips fall off on their own.

Pain and Other Medications

• It is common for your child to have some pain with movement and discomfort for the first 24-48 [A1] hours after the Loop Monitor procedure.

• We recommend Tylenol for pain during the 24-48 hours after the procedure. 

When to Call Pediatric Cardiology

Call the Pediatric Cardiology Office right away at 212-263-5940 if your child has problems with healing or signs of infection, such as:

• The incision opens up

• Bleeding

• Drainage (such as pus and oozing)

• Swelling

• Increased pain

• Redness at or around incision

• Increased warmth

• Fever of 100.3 or above.

Follow Up

• You should have a follow up appointment with Pediatric Electrophysiology.

• Please follow up with your Primary Cardiologist. 

• Medtronic Support: Patient service specialists are available by phone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday (1-800-929-4043).

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s doctor or nurse practitioner or call 212-263-5940.

A member of our team would be happy to help you.

Created in partnership with families and expertise from our Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care.

©2024 NYU Langone Health. All rights reserved. Reviewed for health literacy. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care provider's instructions.