Medical Device Network reported today that the company launched the dual-chamber leadless pacemaker in the UK. This launch follows the receipt of CE mark approval for commercialization in Europe in June.
According to the report, Ross Campbell, Abbott UK and Ireland CRM GM Ross Campbell said the launch aims to significantly improve the lives of those living with irregular heart rhythms across the [UK].”
Aveir DR, the world’s first dual-chamber leadless pacemaker, treats people with abnormal or slow heart rhythms. It enables a beat-to-beat, wireless communication channel between two leadless pacemakers. Each device is roughly one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker — smaller than a AAA battery.
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The system delivers electrical impulses directly to the heart muscle to restore normal heart rhythm. Unlike traditional pacemakers, leadless devices go directly into the heart through a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure. This eliminates the need for cardiac leads and a pulse generator under the skin.
Aveir DR uses Abbott’s proprietary i2i (implant-to-implant) technology, delivering synchronized pacing on every heartbeat based on a person’s clinical needs. i2i technology uses high-frequency pulses to relay messages via the naturally conductive characteristics of the body’s blood between the paired, co-implanted devices. This requires less battery current than inductive, radiofrequency or Bluetooth communication. One device paces the right ventricle (Aveir VR) and the other paces the right atrium (Aveir AR).
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Abbott received FDA approval for the dual-chamber pacemaker system in July 2023. The company completed the first U.S. commercial cases with Aveir DR in November.
MassDevice reached out to Abbott for confirmation of this launch. This story may be updated.
