Clinical outcomes of leadless pacemaker: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Devices
• Systematic Reviews

Background:

• Transvenous pacemakers are linked to significant complications.
• Leadless pacemakers (LP) are emerging as a less invasive alternative.
• This review assesses LP patient eligibility, safety, and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on leadless pacemaker (LP) implantation.
• To evaluate patient eligibility, safety, and clinical outcomes associated with LP devices.
• To compare the complication rates of LP versus traditional transvenous pacemakers.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across two databases.
• 24 articles involving 4739 patients were included for qualitative analysis.
• Follow-up periods ranged from 1 to 38 months.

Main Results:

• Leadless pacemakers achieved a high implantation success rate of 98.5% (4670 out of 4739 patients).
• The overall complication rate was 5.23% (248 complications).
• Common complications included pacing issues (5.23%), femoral access site events (4.95%), and cardiac injuries (3.54%).

Conclusions:

• Leadless pacemakers demonstrate a low complication rate, making them a viable option for single-chamber pacing.
• LP are particularly beneficial for patients unsuitable for conventional transvenous pacemaker implantation.
• Further comparative studies and longer-term follow-up data are necessary.