MedStar Washington Hospital Center is now offering patients with abnormally slow heart rates an advanced treatment option involving the use of two tiny leadless pacemakers implanted within the heart. The Aveir™ DR Leadless Pacemaker System, which successfully underwent clinical trials that included MedStar Washington Hospital Center, was used to implant the Washington region's first approved leadless dual-chamber pacing device in two patients. Both procedures were successful, and the patients were discharged after an overnight observation and are currently recovering at home.

This innovative technology is now available at several medical centers across the United States, and MedStar Washington Hospital Center is one of the pioneering institutions in adopting it. Slow heart rates can affect patients of any age, but are more common among older individuals and can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, fainting, and a reduced quality of life. Traditional pacing therapy involved the insertion of wires through a vein to connect to a disc-shaped pacemaker implanted beneath the skin of the chest. In contrast, the leadless system involves the use of two small pacemakers, each smaller than a AAA battery, which are inserted through a catheter in a large thigh vein. This is done under X-ray guidance and without any incisions, and the two devices are placed in the heart's upper and lower chambers to restore a normal rhythm.

What makes the Aveir™ DR system unique is that it uses the patient's own blood, eliminating the need for wires to transmit electrical information between the heart's upper and lower chambers. This approach is both effective and energy-efficient, representing a significant advancement in cardiac care.

Source:  prnewswire.com