Leadless Pacemakers

Devices that regulate your heartbeat with electrical pulses

Certain conditions, such as bradycardia, can cause your heart to beat too slowly. Traditional pacemakers are connected to the heart using wire leads. A leadless pacemaker can deliver electrical pulse therapy into the heart from small capsules, which are smaller than an AAA battery, placed inside the heart’s right atrium and right ventricle - without the need for wire leads.  Sensing and pacing occur in both heart chambers and synchrony between the chambers is possible through implant-to-implant communication. In place of wires, the patient’s own blood is used to transfer information between the heart’s right upper and lower chambers.

“The leadless dual-chamber pacemaker is an excellent treatment option to treat bradycardia,” said cardiac electrophysiologist Cyrus Hadadi, MD, associate director of Cardiac Arrhythmia Research at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. “There are no wires implanted in veins, no metal device under the skin, and no surgical incision. This means the potential for less risk, greater comfort, and fewer post-procedure restrictions.” Compared to traditional pacing, leadless technology can eliminate inflammation, scars, and long-term problems, such as wire insulation breaks, vein blockage, and device infection.

MedStar Washington Hospital Center was one of the first hospitals in the county to implant dual chamber leadless pacemakers after FDA approval and is the only medical center in the Mid-Atlantic region to offer patients this new breakthrough technology. To find out more about leadless pacemakers or request a consultation, please call (202) 577-7685.  

Our Electrophysiology Program is a national leader in managing complex arrhythmias. We have one of the most sophisticated cardiac EP laboratories in North America. Our doctors perform more than 5,000 electrophysiology procedures each year.