The Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) has become the first hospital in the region to successfully implant the Micra AV pacemaker.
The Micra AV pacemaker is the world’s smallest pacemaker with atrioventricular (AV) synchrony. The device was specially developed for the treatment of patients with an AV block in their heart, extending the most advanced pacing therapy to more patients than ever before.
IJN’s success in implanting the pacemaker was also the first successful attempt to be conducted outside of United States. This was done within a couple of months of receiving pre-market approval in January 2020.
The procedure was performed by the IJN Cardiac Electrophysiology team led by Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Dr Azlan Hussin in March. Two more patients were implanted with the pacemaker in the following month.
“Micra AV is designed to provide a safe alternative to conventional pacemakers without the complication associated with leads in the long run. It is small enough to be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart with small tines and delivers electrical impulses that pace the heart through an electrode at the end of the device,” said Dr Hussin, adding that the procedure is minimally invasive.
He also added that the device came at the right time when the IJN medical team was brainstorming on minimising patient exposure in midst of Covid-19.
The pacemaker is developed and manufactured by Medtronic and has specialised internal atrial sensing algorithms which detect cardiac movement, allowing the device to adjust pacing in the ventricle to coordinate with the atrium.
This in return provides ‘AV synchronous’ pacing therapy to patients with AV block. The Micra AV is one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker, but delivers the most advanced pacing technology and at the same time being cosmetically invisible.
“Given the ongoing global health situation, this has been uplifting news and is going to
improve the lives of many of our cardiac patients. I’m very proud to see our professionals
continue to do excellent work despite the challenges they face,” said IJN’s chief executive officer, Aizai Azan Abdul Rahim
