The Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David’s Medical Center has become the first centre in the United States to implant a newly approved, leadless system for delivering cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) to patients with heart failure.
This new technology offers a significant alternative to traditional CRT, which typically relies on insulated leads to synchronise heart rhythms.
Instead, the novel system uses a tiny, wireless device, roughly the size of a grain of rice, implanted directly into the tissue of the left ventricle.
The device works by converting ultrasound energy into electrical pulses, helping to restore normal heart rhythm and improve pumping efficiency.
The first procedure was successfully performed by Dr. Robert Canby, a cardiac electrophysiologist at TCAI.
The innovation is particularly promising for patients who previously had limited or no suitable options for resynchronisation therapy.
Unlike conventional systems that use leads to stimulate the heart muscle, the wireless device allows for more precise placement and may increase access for patients considered unsuitable for traditional methods.
The minimally invasive approach also reduces some of the complications associated with lead-based therapies.
