CHRISTUS Mother Frances Louis & Peaches Owen Heart Hospital Implants 1st Leadless Pacemaker in East Texas

December 1, 2022

Tyler, Texas – Stanislav (Stan) Weiner, M.D., Director of Electrophysiology at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital, has successfully implanted the Abbott Leadless pacemaker, the first surgery of its kind in the East Texas area.

The Aveir VP LP device does not require insulated wires, known as cardiac leads, to deliver the electrical energy to the heart. Instead, the device is implanted directly into the heart’s lower chamber via a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure and eliminates the need for cardiac leads.

“We are thrilled to be the first to bring this exciting technology to the patients of East Texas,” said Dr. Weiner. “The new device expands our ability to treat heart rhythm disturbances with another minimally invasive option.”

Designed specifically to be retrieved when the device needs to be replaced or if a patient’s therapy needs to be changed, the Aveir VR LP has a battery life that is up to two times longer than existing leadless options.

“It has better versatility in placement, superior retrieval options, and has potential for dual chamber upgrades when cleared by the FDA,” said Dr. Weiner. “As part of our ongoing commitment to excellence, we hope to continue to be at the forefront of the newest and best technology for treating heart disease.”

Dr. Weiner says the procedure went smoothly, the patient recovered promptly and went home the same day and that he is honored to bring this new therapy to our great community.