Tuesday, December 13, 2022
San Juan Regional Medical Center Offers the World’s Smallest Pacemakers
Dr. Stephen Bernard, left, with his team from the Cardiac Cath Lab, center and MedTronic, right,
(the manufacturer of Micra TPS) on the day the first Micra pacemaker was placed at SJRMC
San Juan Regional Medical Center is offering the world’s smallest pacemakers, the Micra™ VR and Micra™ AV Transcatheter Pacing Systems (TPS) to patients in the Four Corners. The first procedure was performed by Dr. Stephen Bernard on October 25, 2022.
Micra TPS is a leadless pacemaker option for patients who only require pacing in the right ventricle. Comparable in size to a large vitamin, Micra is less than one-tenth the size of traditional pacemakers yet delivers advanced pacing technology to patients via a minimally invasive approach. During the implant procedure, the device is attached to the heart with small tines and delivers electrical impulses that pace the heart through an electrode at the end of the device.
Unlike traditional pacemakers, Micra does not require leads or a surgical "pocket" under the skin, so potential sources of complications related to leads and pockets are eliminated. There is also less risk of infection. Micra’s miniaturized size and minimally invasive approach leaves no visible sign or physical reminder of a medical device under the skin. This can mean fewer post-implant activity restrictions and no obstructions to shoulder movement, allowing patients to get back to living their lives more quickly.
“Prior to getting the Micra, we would have to send a patient who needs this type of device out of the area. Now we can offer this device and other heart-associated services and treatments here at home. This makes it much easier on patients. They don’t have to travel, and they can have their family around, so they recover quicker,” said Dr. Bernard.
The implantation procedure length of time is substantially less than a standard pacemaker procedure. Patients can normally go home the same day. The pacemaker’s battery life is eight to 10 years, which is a little less than a traditional pacemaker. To learn more about the world’s smallest pacemakers, and to see if they may be a fit for you, contact San Juan Regional Heart Center at 505.609.6770.