CHI St. Luke’s Health–Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center Becomes First and Only Hospital in Houston to Implant World’s Smallest Minimally Invasive Cardiac Pacemaker
CHI St. Luke’s Health–Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (Baylor St. Luke’s) announced today that it has become the first hospital in Houston to implant the world’s smallest pacemaker―the Medtronic Micra™ Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS). The device was implanted as part of the global pivotal clinical trial, and Baylor St. Luke’s is the only hospital in the Houston area selected to take part in the trial.
One-tenth the size of a conventional pacemaker and comparable in size to a large vitamin, the Micra TPS pacemaker is delivered directly into the heart through a catheter inserted in the femoral vein. Once positioned, the pacemaker is securely attached to the heart wall and can be repositioned or retrieved, if needed. The miniature device does not require the use of wires, known as “leads,” to connect to the heart. Attached to the heart via small tines, the pacemaker delivers electrical impulses that pace the heart through an electrode at the end of the device.
“This miniaturized technology is designed to provide patients with the advanced pacing technology of traditional pacemakers via a minimally invasive approach,” said John Seger, MD, Cardiac Electrophysiologist, Texas Heart® Institute, who implanted the Micra transcatheter pacemaker. “We are proud that Baylor St. Luke’s was selected among an elite group of institutions to take part in this clinical trial. If positive, the results of the trial could potentially benefit the more than one million people globally who receive pacemakers each year.”
In contrast to current pacemaker implant procedures, the Micra TPS implant does not require a surgical incision in the chest and the creation of a “pocket” under the skin. This eliminates a potential source of complications, and any visible sign of the device. The Medtronic Micra TPS is an investigational device worldwide.
