Empowered Patient Podcast

 Wade Demmer, R&D Vice President at Medtronic, has developed a leadless pacemaker that is implanted on the heart through a minimally invasive procedure utilizing a catheter, potentially creating fewer complications and greater access for patients who could benefit from a pacemaker. This new design is a significantly smaller, safer, and longer-lasting device than traditional pacemakers and does not create a visible lump under the skin. Advancements in battery and computer technology have made the Micra next-generation pacemaker smarter, allowing cardiologists to treat a wider range of heart conditions. Wase explains, "So yes, pacemakers have been around for about seventy years. They've been helping people save lives, live fuller lives, and improve quality of life for that whole time. But you know, if you think about the history of a pacemaker, a pacemaker is a computer inside a little box that's implanted in the body. And like any computer, a computer from 70 years ago and a computer from today are very d