Leadless Pacemaker
While other companies are testing the waters of leadless designs, Medtronic is leading the way in terms of generating interest in the novel devices. Unveiled at TEDMED last year, Medtronic's leadless pacemaker is smaller than a penny and is implanted via a catheter-based system. Healthcare personnel can wirelessly monitor and control the pacemaker using a smartphone. Not only is the design markedly smaller than current pacemakers, but the elimination of leads removes the risk of dangerous lead fractures—a subject Medtronic is unfortunately all-too-familiar with—and yields a potentially safer end product. Anticipating human implantation in the next two to four years, Medtronic could further cement its status as a bellwether of the medical device industry if this leadless pacemaker design makes it to market. Read more about Medtronic's leadless pacemaker in "Weighing the Benefits of Medtronic's Leadless Pacemaker" and "Taking the Lead" from MPMN's archives.