Apollo BGS Hospital, Mysore successfully implanted the world’s smallest pacemaker in a 68-year-old patient, a first of its kind in the state

Pacemakers are the most common way to treat Bradycardia to help restore the heart’s normal rhythm and relieve symptoms by sending electrical impulses to the heart to increase the heart rate. The patient was a 68-year-old gentleman who had a reaction from a previous implanted regular pacemaker, due to which it had to be removed. Since his veins were blocked (which are normally used for regular pacemaker leads), his only lifesaving option was the new Leadless pacemaker which is implanted through the leg.

The leadless pacemaker, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is a new type of heart device that offers the most advanced pacing technology at one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker. This first implant in Karnataka was performed by Dr. Arun Srinivas, Head of Cardiology Department & Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore along with Dr. Guruprasad H.P, Dr. P. Jayakumar & Dr. Adithya Udupa.

“The device attaches directly to the walls of the heart and gives electrical signals for maintaining a normal heart rate. This new pacemaker is entirely MRI compatible and can adjust the heart rate according to the patient’s activity and needs of the body.” Said Dr. Arun Srinivas.

Comparable in size to a large vitamin capsule, the Clinical Team elected to use the leadless pacemaker because unlike traditional pacemakers, the device does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical “pocket “under the skin to deliver pacing therapy. This is a boon for patients who have a pacemaker / lead infection or blocked veins in the chest. It has reduced the complications and risks associated with the routine pacemaker by almost 50%, like lead infection, pacemaker pocket infection, venous obstruction etc.”, said Dr. Arun Srinivas.

The Leadless Pacemaker also incorporates a retrieval feature to enable retrieval of the device when possible. However, the device is designed to be left in the body. For patients who need more than one heart device, the miniaturized leadless pacemaker is designed with a unique feature that enables it to be permanently turned off so it can remain in the body and a new device can be implanted without risk of electrical interaction. It is the first and only trans catheter pacing system to be approved for both 1.5 and 3 Tesla (T) full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, providing patients with access to the most advanced imaging diagnostic procedures available, if and when they need one.