Leadless pacemakers to transform abnormal heart rhythm treatment, say specialists
PIONEEREDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The renowned heart specialists stated that the next-generation leadless pacemakers are all set to revolutionise the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms. Notably, the next-gen cardiovascular technology, a leadless pacemaker, has been designed to manage irregular heart rhythms or arrhythmias. Arrhythmias occur when the heart beats too fast, too slowly or irregularly. If left untreated, they can lead to serious complications for patients, even becoming life-threatening. One common type is bradycardia where the heart beats too slowly to meet the body’s needs.
The specialists averred that the latest-generation leadless pacemakers help manage this condition effectively and efficiently with these pacemakers being miniaturised, minimally invasive and retrievable.
A pacemaker is a medical device that helps regulate the heartbeat. Traditional pacemakers are implanted just beneath a person’s skin near the collarbone and connected to the heart with wires (called leads). These wires deliver electrical signals to help the heartbeat at a normal rate, relieving symptoms like chest pain, fatigue, palpitations and discomfort.
“Leadless pacemakers have been developed to make both implantation and retrieval as smooth as possible for physicians while offering meaningful improvements over existing technologies,” said the general manager for Cardiac Rhythm Management, Abbott in India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea, Ajay Singh Chauhan.
Echoing the same view, the director – department of Cardiac Sciences at Max Hospital, Dehradun, Dr Preeti Sharma said that thousands of patients require pacemaker implantations every year. “This surgery involves some potential complications or visible scarring. Leadless pacemakers, however, represent a meaningful advancement in cardiac care being minimally invasive, cosmetically invisible and significantly reduce post-procedure complications,” she added.
She further said that this technology supports a more natural heartbeat, helping improve patient outcomes. “It also minimises the chances of infection and lead-related issues and reduces the need for intervention,” she commented.
Besides, the ability to implant a pacemaker via a minimally invasive procedure means shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times for patients. In India, this technology is a breakthrough, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where access to follow-up care can be limited.
