What are Leadless Pacemakers

Featuring Dr. Bernice Tsang, MD, FRCPC, Electrophysiologist

Duration: 1 minute, 31 seconds

There are two different kinds of pacemakers. Pacemakers that sit under the skin and have one, or up to three wires that go through a vein into the chambers of the heart. And there are pacemakers that have no wires, that go up through the groin and are tethered into the heart tissue but have no leads.

Leadless pacemakers are placed through a tube that’s placed in the groin under local anesthetic. There is a catheter much like a fishing rod that is placed through that tube. The leadless pacemaker is at the end of that catheter, and there are tines at the end of the pacemaker.

The tines then attach to the tissue of the heart. The pacemaker is then set free, much like a fish on a fishing wire. The wires are let out, the pacemaker is checked and then the fishing line is cut to let the pacemaker free. Then the catheter is withdrawn and the tube is taken out.

This is also a day procedure. Leadless pacemakers, unlike pacemakers that are placed with wires in the heart, have potential benefits. This may be a lower risk of infection, there is no incision or sutures.

Presenter: Dr. Bernice Tsang, Electrophysiologist, Newmarket, ON

Local Practitioners: Electrophysiologist