Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson Hospitalized

Steve Reed reported that Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is expected to be released from the hospital after having a pacemaker/defribillator inserted in his chest.

Richardson, 72, was admitted to Carolinas Medical Center late last week with an irregular heartbeat. Richardson is not expected to accompany the team to Sunday's game in Oakland, according to Dayton.

This isn’t the first time Richardson has had heart problems. Richardson underwent successful quadruple heart-bypass surgery back in 2002. Dr. Mark Stiegel performed the three-hour operation at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., and said at the time Richardson should make a full recovery. Richardson was hospitalized earlier that month with an intestinal infection and the irregular heart rhythm was detected during his stay.

A pacemaker defibrillator is a device that combines an internal defibrillator with pacemaker functions for both ventricles - the lower two chambers of the heart - is now coming into widespread use, offering new hope for thousands of patients with serious cardiac problems, according to the University of Wisconsin's medical website.

The pacing/defibrillating system was developed after years of research and clinical trials at several institutions nationwide, including the Medical College of Wisconsin. Like a standard pacemaker, the instrument is smaller than a package of cigarettes.

"It's a little larger than a pacemaker, but it has five ports in it (like the ports for small plugs on electrical equipment)", said Marilyn D. Ezri, MD, FACC, Medical College Associate Professor of Medicine said on the college's website. "Two of the ports are for the two coils for the defibrillation function; one is for the top chamber of the heart, called the atrium, and one each to plug in the right and left ventricles. So, this is a biventricular pacing/defibrillator system. It does everything."

Both "mechanical" and "electrical" heart problems are treated by the pacemaker/defibrillator.

Vice President Dick Cheney had a similar device implanted in his chest back in 2001.