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Leadless vs. Traditional Pacemakers
Leadless pacemakers offer a safer alternative to traditional pacemakers with lower infection risks, but are more expensive and lack long-term data.
Greek
Greece
TechnologyHealthArtificial IntelligenceMedicineHeartPacemaker
Massachusetts General HospitalFdaEuropean Heart Journal
Dr. Theofanie Mela
- What are pacemakers and how do they work?
- Pacemakers are battery-powered devices that monitor heartbeats and deliver electrical impulses to stimulate a heartbeat when necessary. They are implanted under the skin near the collarbone and connected to the heart via leads or electrodes.
- What are leadless pacemakers, and what is their main advantage?
- Leadless pacemakers are smaller, newer devices that eliminate the need for leads, reducing infection risk. They are implanted via a catheter into the heart wall, making the procedure simpler and safer.
- What are the main advantages of leadless pacemakers over traditional ones?
- The main advantage of leadless pacemakers is the significantly lower risk of complications compared to traditional pacemakers, mainly due to the elimination of leads. Studies show substantially reduced infection rates and fewer issues related to lead placement.
- What are the potential disadvantages or limitations of leadless pacemakers?
- While leadless pacemakers are more expensive than traditional ones, the lower complication rate may offset the higher cost in the long run. However, long-term data on these newer devices is still limited, impacting the confidence of healthcare providers.
- What are the potential complications associated with traditional pacemakers?
- Traditional pacemakers have a higher risk of complications like infection due to the presence of leads, which provide a larger surface area for bacteria to adhere to. Lead displacement, wear, and breakage are other potential issues.