The Brazos Valley witnesses its inaugural placement of a pacemaker

Bryan, TX, February 1, 2023 - On January 13, 2023, St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital in Bryan, TX, placed its first Abbott Aveir single-chamber, leadless pacemaker, bringing this cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind technology to Brazos Valley patients who may not be candidates for traditional pacemakers. 

Leadless pacemakers are relatively new to the market, and currently there are only two available options, Abbott’s Aveir single-chamber leadless pacemaker and Medtronic’s Micra leadless pacemaker. St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital is the only center in the Brazos Valley capable of implanting both devices and has utilized the leadless pacemaker produced by Medtronic since 2021. 

The Aveir, which was FDA approved in April of 2022, is selectively being released in certain markets and offers patients and physicians new, never-before-seen features. The device does not need cardiac leads to deliver therapy, and offers a unique mapping capability designed to allow physicians to measure electrical signals within the heart and determine the correct placement of the device before final implantation. It has an increased projected battery life that can be up to two times longer than other currently commercially available leadless pacemakers and is the only leadless pacemaker designed to be retrieved if therapy needs evolve. Additionally, patients experience a decreased likelihood of needing a chest incision during placement. 

Like the Aveir, the Micra is placed without the need of a chest incision and is completely self-contained within the heart. St. Joseph Health began placing Medtronic’s device in 2021. 

“St. Joseph Health is proud of our team’s joint efforts with the Abbott and Medtronic teams to offer this life-saving device to our patients.” Said Kim Shaw, St. Joseph Health President and CEO. “Both pacemakers have revolutionized cardiac care and have made live-saving technology available to a wider scope of patients. Delivering this exceptional care to our patients is at the heart of our mission at St. Joseph Health.”

About Abbott

About Medtronic

About St. Joseph Health: St. Joseph Health is a member of St. Luke’s Health and part of CommonSpirit Health, the largest Catholic health system and the second-largest nonprofit hospital chain in the United States. Since 1936, St. Joseph Health has been the Brazos Valley’s leader in providing high-quality, patient-centered health care. Our expansive network encompasses five hospitals, including St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital in Bryan, College Station Hospital, Madison Hospital, Grimes Hospital, and Burleson Hospital; two long-term care facilities; an assisted living facility and multiple clinics. Regional Hospital is the highest-level trauma center in the Brazos Valley, ready to provide the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art trauma services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are the region’s only air medical service and the first in the region to be accredited as a Chest Pain Center and Primary Stroke Center. 

The St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health Network is a primary care clinical and academic partnership with Texas A&M University Health Science Center. Together, St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health Network employs over 100 primary care physicians, specialists and advanced practice clinicians. 

[For more information, please contact Communications Manager, Tracy Bates at 713-962-9347 or tracy.bates@commonspirit.org.]