Aizawl: Mizoram has recorded its first implantation of an Abbott AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker at a state-run hospital, marking a new development in cardiac care in the state, Health Minister Lalrinpuii said.
The procedure was performed at Aizawl Civil Hospital on Monday by a team of cardiologists led by Loncy V. Lalzarliana and Isak Lallawmkima, under the guidance of Uday Shankar Das of Apollo Multispeciality Hospital, Kolkata.
The procedure comes barely a year after a cardiac catheterisation (Cath) laboratory was installed at the state’s largest civil hospital in 2025.
Unlike conventional pacemakers, which require a surgical pocket beneath the skin and leads passing through blood vessels, the leadless device is implanted directly inside the heart through a catheter inserted via the femoral vein, Lalrinpuii said.
The procedure does not require an incision to create a pacemaker pocket or the placement of leads through blood vessels, making it a less invasive alternative, she said.
Lalrinpuii said conventional pacemakers generally have a battery life of around nine to 11 years, while the Abbott leadless pacemaker is designed to last more than 18 to 21 years.
The patient, a 67-year-old civil pensioner, underwent the procedure under the Mizo Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS) and was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, she said.
According to Dr Loncy, the procedure was the first leadless pacemaker implantation performed in Mizoram. Conventional pacemaker implantations have been carried out in the state on some occasions previously.
Lalrinpuii said the procedure would strengthen the cardiac-care capabilities of Civil Hospital Aizawl and expand access to advanced heart treatment within Mizoram.