Leadless Pacemakers Prove Unlikely to Cause Infection

Eliminating leads and pockets has stopped the vast majority of infections that are common with traditional pacemakers.

Published: October 25, 2018

Each year, about 1 million people in this country receive a pacemaker to regulate their slowing heart rate. These pacemakers are implanted in a pocket of tissue under the skin and send electrical pulses down a lead (wire) inserted into the heart muscle. Pockets can be a source of infection, which then spreads into the bloodstream via the lead and can infect the heart.