Leadless Pacemaker Opinions

Hey everyone,

If we haven't met I'm Abi and I am hoping to get some opinions about leadless pacemakers as I am likely going to be getting on on the 19th.

I need to get a new pacemaker and my cardiologist is suggesting I get a leadless one (the most recent medtronic). I was hoping to get some opinions from anyone who has one on how they like them. My cardiologist walked me through all the benefits and risks so I am really just looking for patient experience I have read a lot of the old forms on here but I didn't see many recent one or ones talking about living daily life with one so I thought I would post and ask.

 

My main concern is the de-synchronization that can happen due to them only pacing the ventricle chamber of the heart. He was telling me that this can happen when exercising and starts around a 110-120 bpm. I am pretty young,  24, and consider myself fairly active so I am little concerned about this. Does anyone have an experience with this issue? 

 

I'm currently on my fifth pacemaker and have always had a dual lead. So I guess i'm just a bit hesitant. Any advise or input from someone with one would be appreciated :)

 

Background: 24F I've had a pacemaker since I was 7 months old. I have it for bradycardia  because when they went in to repair a VSD when I was a baby they severed my  AV node. I only need to change pacemakers is right now because one of the leads is holding my tricuspid valve open, causing severe tricuspid regurgitation so I am getting them extracted and a new pacemaker. My cardiologist is suggesting I get a leadless one due to the lower rate of infections it causes and because it will make it easier to repair the tricuspid valve(no wires in the way). So I'm probably going to get one regardless, but I would love to get some input from people who actually have them. Especially if anyone has switched from a dual lead to a leadless. 

3 Comments

leads to leadless

by Tracey_E - 2024-01-09 10:55:40

We have a very few members with leadless but I have not found anyone else here who has gone from traditional leads to leadless. Leadless has been around for a few years now but using them on someone who already has traditional leads is very new. 

I'm in the same situation as you, on #5 and looking at leadless for my next one sometime later this year. I'm quite a bit older than you at 57, however my doctor is leaning toward Abbott over the Medtronic because of my young age. Not that I'm that young, but he's considering how many more replacements I'll need over my lifetime. He doesn't like that the Medtronic is intended to be left in when replaced. The Abbott is intended to be removed and replaced, and can provide two chamber pacing. He explained how that works but all I remember is something about crystals, the rest went over my head! This one was just approved by FDA in July so super new and my doc has no personal experience with it. Long way of saying, I'm in a similar situation and don't know what I'll be doing. 

Leadless pm

by doublehorn48 - 2024-01-09 12:26:17

I've read that the Cleveland Clinic has a trial going for leadless pms.  Around 500 people, I believe. Supposedly, if you qualify, you can get enrolled. Like everyone else I'm extremely interested in leadless pms.

Leadless

by piglet22 - 2024-01-10 06:57:50

No experience of them at all, but my simplistic opinion is that I might take some persuading of significant advantages over leaded devices.

I like wired, like LAN over WiFi. There's the security of a solid link.

As I understand it, placement and removal are significantly more difficult and catheter snaring doesn't sound very inviting.

One thing I would point out is that UK experience is different. Nothing by way of pre-implantation discussion (twice), and as for choice, private practice maybe, but not NHS.

You know you're wired when...

You have a little piece of high-tech in your chest.

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It's much better to live with a pacemaker than to risk your life without one.