New Device Allows for Easy Removal When Device Requires Replacement; Battery Lasts Twice as Long

Deborah Heart and Lung Center was the first hospital in New Jersey to implant the new Abbott Aveir™ VR leadless pacemaker system, used for treating certain abnormal heart rhythms. Patients with slower heart rhythms are often treated with a pacemaker, which uses pulses of electricity to trigger the heart to beat.

The Aveir VR leadless pacemaker is the world’s only leadless pacemaker designed to be retrieved – or removed – when it has to be replaced. Like other leadless pacemakers, Aveir VR does not require insulated wires – known as cardiac leads – that deliver the electrical energy to the heart. Instead, the device is implanted directly into the heart’s right lower chamber using a minimally invasive procedure.

There are several features that set this innovative option apart:

• Aveir VR leadless pacemaker’s impressive battery life that is up to two times longer than existing leadless options
• Mapping capability that allows clinicians to measure electric signals to assess the correct placement of the device before it is fixed within the heart
• Unique design with a “screw-like” docking button that allows the device to be removed from the heart when it needs to be replaced

“This is an exciting new development in the evolution of pacemakers,” said Raffaele Corbisiero, MD, Chair of Electrophysiology and Pacing at Deborah Heart and Lung Center. “Previous leadless pacemakers were implanted with small tines which grew into the tissue, making removal nearly impossible. These pacemakers usually had a battery life of about five years, which meant when they had to be replaced we had to put a second device into the patient, crowding the right ventricle. The new Aveir VR is anchored in with a screw which allows for it to be removed when it has to be replaced, which is a huge step forward for patients. It also has an extended battery life of ten years, which is another significant advantage, as well as sophisticated technology that helps us in placing the device, so we don’t have to reposition it multiple times.”

Dr. Corbisiero and his team were thrilled to perform the first implant in the state. “This is just one more along the list of ‘firsts’ at Deborah,” he said. “We are excited to offer this new technology that allows us to continue to offer the best standard of care to patients. Aveir VR is truly a leap forward.”

Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, NJ is an 89-bed teaching hospital that specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, research, and treatment of heart, lung, and vascular diseases. Founded in 1922, Deborah has been a regional and nationally recognized leader throughout its 100-year history, during which time it has healed 2.3 million patients from every corner of the United States and 87 countries in the world. From performing the first open heart surgeries (adult and pediatric) in New Jersey, to running one of the highest volume left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant programs in the region, Deborah has stood at the forefront of medical innovation, all while never wavering from its founding mission “there is no price on life.” Deborah is consistently recognized as a leader in patient care from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, ranked among the top hospitals in New Jersey for patient satisfaction; holds a top-tier Society of Thoracic Surgeons rating which places Deborah among the best cardiac surgery programs in the country; and is designated a national Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. Deborah is an Alliance member of the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.