A Leadless Intracardiac Transcatheter Pacing System

A series of 725 patients underwent attempted implantation of a leadless transcatheter pacemaker. At 6 months, 96.0% of patients had no major device-related complications, and 98.3% had a low and stable pacing capture threshold. For more than half a century, permanent cardiac pacing for symptomatic bradycardia has been achieved with systems that consist of a surgically implanted subcutaneous electrical generator connected to one or more transvenous leads that deliver the pacing therapy to the heart. Although these devices are effective, approximately one in eight patients has an early complication, frequently related to the lead or leads or to the subcutaneous “pocket.” 1 Complications include problems with the subcutaneous pocket, such as hematomas and infections; lead-insertion problems, such as pneumothoraxes and hemothoraxes; lead dislodgements and integrity problems; infections, including septicemia and endocarditis; vascular obstructions; and reduced . . .