Less-Invasive Heart Pacemaker Available At Hospital In Hartford

Saint Francis Hospital

HARTFORD, CT — A local hospital appears to be setting the pace when it comes to heart pacemakers.

The hospital recently announced that cardiologists at Saint Francis Hospital were the first in Connecticut to implant AVEIRTM DR, the world’s first dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system that treats people with abnormally slow heart rhythms.

The first procedures were performed in January by board-certified cardiologist Dr. Michael Malinics with Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group and the health system’s Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute.

AVEIR DR, developed by Abbott, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023.

It provides patients at Saint Francis with a minimally invasive option to treat the nearly 80 percent of people who require pacing in two chambers of the heart – both the right atrium and right ventricle.

Unlike traditional pacemakers, AVEIR DR does not require insulated wires, known as “leads,” that deliver the electrical energy from the pacemaker to the heart.

Leadless devices are implanted directly into the heart through a minimally invasive procedure and eliminate the need for these cardiac leads.

As a result, leadless pacemakers reduce a patient’s exposure to potential lead and pocket-related complications and offer a less restrictive and shorter recovery period.

“We are thrilled to be among the first hospitals in the country to provide this groundbreaking technology,” said Dr. Neal Lippman, M.D., Chief of Arrhythmia Services. “Being able to offer this device revolutionizes care for our current patients and creates a significant opportunity to expand the number of people we can serve. "

For more information on cardiovascular care at Trinity Health Of New England’s Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute,visit trinityhealthofne.org/heart.