Saint Francis Hospital Becomes First in Connecticut to Implant AVEIR™ DR, the World's First Dual Chamber Leadless Pacemaker System

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Cardiologists at Saint Francis Hospital were the first in Connecticut to implant AVEIR™ DR, the world’s first dual chamber leadless pacemaker system that treats people with abnormally slow heart rhythms. The first procedures were performed last week by board-certified cardiologist Michael Malinics, D.O., with Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group and the health system’s Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute.

AVEIR DR, developed by Abbott, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023, and provides patients at Saint Francis with a minimally invasive option to treat the nearly 80% of people who require pacing in two chambers of the heart – both the right atrium and right ventricle. Unlike traditional pacemakers, AVEIR DR does not require insulated wires, known as “leads,” that deliver the electrical energy from the pacemaker to the heart. Leadless devices are implanted directly into the heart through a minimally invasive procedure and eliminate the need for these cardiac leads. As a result, leadless pacemakers reduce a patient’s exposure to potential lead and pocket-related complications and offer a less restrictive and shorter recovery period.

“We are thrilled to be among the first hospitals in the country to provide this groundbreaking technology,” said Neal Lippman, M.D., Chief of Arrhythmia Services. “Being able to offer this device revolutionizes care for our current patients and creates a significant opportunity to expand the number of people we can serve. It is estimated that millions of people across the U.S. require pacing in both chambers of the heart. At Trinity Health Of New England, we have an extensive network of cardiologists throughout the region, allowing us to provide state-of-the-art cardiac care close to home, vastly improving the lives of our patients.”

Roughly one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker, the AVEIR DR dual chamber leadless pacing system is made up of two devices – the AVEIR VR ventricular leadless pacemaker, which paces the right ventricle (VR) and the AVEIR AR atrial leadless pacemaker, which paces the right atrium (AR). Saint Francis has been offering patients the AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker since 2022.

AVEIR DR incorporates Abbott’s novel i2i technology, which solves a significant engineering challenge by offering beat-to-beat communication between the two leadless pacemakers. Through this proprietary i2i communication technology, AVEIR DR devices provide synchronized or coordinated cardiac pacing between the two leadless pacemakers based on the patient’s clinical need. i2i technology utilizes high-frequency pulses to relay messages via the naturally conductive characteristics of the body’s blood. Conducted communication is critical because it uses far less battery current than inductive, radio frequency, or Bluetooth® communication. AVEIR leadless

pacemakers are also engineered to be retrieved should a patient’s therapy needs change, or if they need a replacement device in the future.

For more information on the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute at Saint Francis Hospital, please visit www.trinityhealthofne.org/heart.