Abbott announced the launch of AVEIR VR single-chamber ventricular leadless pacemaker for the treatment of patients in India with slow heart rhythms. This pacemaker is now approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in India. It is also US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved.
People who experience slower-than-normal heart rhythm may receive a pacemaker to deliver pulses of electricity to trigger the heart to beat properly. While traditional pacemakers require a chest incision and pocket for the generator along with one or more insulated wires – known as cardiac leads – to deliver electricity to the heart, leadless pacemakers do not require a pocket or leads. Instead, the device is implanted directly into the heart’s right lower chamber (right ventricle) via a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure from the groin. Therefore, there is no incision made to the chest, no wires, and no pocket in the chest for a generator.
The device has a mapping capability designed to allow physicians to measure electrical signals within the heart and determine the best placement of the device before final implantation. The increased projected battery longevity over current available leadless pacemakers opens the door to more patients. In addition, AVEIR is a leadless pacemaker designed to be retrieved if the device needs to be replaced or therapy needs evolve.