Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/515661
t m c » p u l s e | m a y 2 0 1 5 14 Testing the Tiniest Pacemaker The world's smallest minimally invasive pacemaker comes to Houston the world's smallest pacemaker—the Medtronic Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), which was implemented as part of a pivotal global clinical trial. Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center remains the only hospital in the Houston area selected to participate in the trial. "Everything in the industry is changing," said John Seger, M.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Texas Heart Institute at Baylor St. Luke's, who implanted the Micra transcatheter pacemaker. "With technology, things are not just getting smaller—they're becoming more efficient." John Seger, M.D., performed the proce- dure to implant the Micra transcatheter pacemaker. Less than one-tenth the size of a conventional pacemaker, the Micra is delivered directly into the heart through a catheter inserted in the femoral vein. B y A l e x O r l a n d o Everything in the industry is changing. With technology, things are not just getting smaller— they're becoming more efficient. — JOHN SEGER, M.D. Cardiac Electrophysiologist at the Texas Heart Institute at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center T he miniaturization of our world is relentless. Clunky and cum- bersome technology is increasingly replaced with sleek and streamlined versions, from laptops and cell phones to burgeoning developments in nan- otechnology. In the domain of cardiac pacemakers, where current devices are visible outside the chest and wires have the potential to cause blood clots or breed bacteria, smaller might really be better. CHI St. Luke's Health-Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center recently announced that it had become the first hospital in Houston to implant With an elegant design that looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie—small tines protrude from the top of the cylinder, resem- bling metallic tendril that attach to the meshwork of muscle bands within the heart—the Micra is less than one-tenth the size of a conventional pacemaker. Comparable in size to a large vitamin, it's delivered directly into the heart through a catheter inserted into the femoral vein. "The most striking thing about this device is that it doesn't actually have any wires in it," explained Seger. "When we put it into the heart through the leg,