New generation of tiny leadless pacemakers fitted at NGH

Northampton General Hospital has become one of the first hospitals in the UK to fit 28 new generation leadless pacemakers for cardiac patients in its first year of operation.

The miniature pacing device - which is less than 2 grams in weight – is implanted inside of the right ventricle of the heart and remains undetected to the human eye, unlike traditional pacemakers that are often seen under the surface of the skin.

It is 93% smaller than traditional pacemakers with a battery life of about 16 years - 40 per cent more than older pacemakers.

On February 17, 2024, NGH became the first hospital Trust in the UK to use the new Medtronic Micra leadless pacemakers (Micra™AV2).

The pacemaker is fitted in a procedure lasting about 20 minutes and can transform lives and give patients with heart problems peace of mind.

Liz Osborne, from Northampton, was one of the first patients in the UK to have the new pacemaker fitted.

Liz, 60, a mother-of-two who works as a funeral arranger, had one of the older style of pacemakers fitted in 2009 after heart problems meant she had episodes of fainting.

In 2024 she went to hospital for a routine pacemaker check and it was found that the leads to her pacemaker were malfunctioning, so she was offered the new leadless pacemaker at NGH.

She said: “You cannot feel the pacemaker and there is no scar. I had mine adjusted so I can have a higher pulse rate because I enjoy going out for walks to keep fit.

“I would only have been in hospital for a day but I had another problem which meant I had to stay in for a month. Over that time I saw a lot of people have the procedure and they all went home the same day,

“The cardiology team at NGH are lovely and I felt very safe with them. All I have to do now is use a machine to send my rhythm patterns off and they are reviewed remotely, so I don’t even have to go to hospital for a check-up.”

Dr David Sharman is the Clinical Director for Cardiology across both Northampton and Kettering General Hospital and was the cardiologist that implanted the first device.

He said: “The extended battery longevity of the AV2 can provide a huge benefit to patients. Think of someone in their 50s or early 60s who only requires a minimal level of pacing from their device.

“The updated Micra™ technology means we could hold off the need for a replacement for up to 19 years. All that time avoiding the potential problems associated with the vascular access required from conventional pacemakers and their leads.

“This pacemaker provides a very effective low risk option for pacing, that minimizes the future risk of complications while preserving options for future systems or upgrades.”