CHI Health St. Alexius Health First In Dakotas To Implant New Leadless Single-Chamber Pacemaker

CHI St. Alexius Health is pleased to offer a new leadless single-chamber VR pacemaker, the first of its kind in the Dakotas. Joya Ganguly, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist with the Heart & Lung Clinic, recently implanted the device at CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck.

“This new option is a game changer. I love the results so much.,” explained Ganguly. “People who experience slower-than-normal heart rhythm may receive a pacemaker, which uses pulses of electricity to trigger the heart to beat. Unlike traditional pacemakers, leadless pacemakers do not require insulated wires – known as cardiac leads – that deliver the electrical energy to the heart. Instead, the device is implanted directly into the heart’s right lower chamber.“

The FDA’s approval is based on data from a global study. With this approval, the device offers several benefits for patients who require the use of a pacemaker to remedy slow heart rhythms.

Leadless pacing systems work like traditional pacemakers to regulate the heart rate. This is the world’s only leadless pacemaker specifically designed to be retrieved when the device needs to be replaced or if a patient’s therapy needs to be changed. Additionally, it has a battery life that is up to two times longer than existing leadless options. The device has a unique mapping capability that allows clinicians to measure electric signals to assess the correct placement of the device before final fixation within the heart. Finally, it is designed to be enabled by future software to support dual-chamber pacing in the future upon regulatory approval. 

“We are excited to bring this technology to the Dakotas,” Ganguly said. “It will improve patient care using a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure, which in turn lessens recovery restrictions, resulting in an increased quality of life for patients.”