Successful Implant of AVEIR™ Leadless Pacemaker in Morocco

• AVEIR™ leadless pacemaker system is safe and effective at treating abnormal heart rhythms
• Leadless pacemakers provide a new minimally invasive option that will revolutionize care for more people, who need pacing to treat a variety of slow or abnormal heart rhythms
• This breakthrough technology enables the world’s first beat-to-beat, wireless communication and synchronization between two leadless pacemakers, which are smaller than a AAA battery 

Abbott announced that Clinique Jerrada Oasis successfully implanted the AVEIR™ leadless pacemaker in patients with cardiac arrhythmias. This first-of-its-kind procedure in Morocco was performed under the supervision of Professor Abdelhamid Moustaghfir, a renowned expert in interventional cardiology, and marks a major milestone in the advancement of cardiac care in the country.

Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2022, the AVEIR™ leadless pacemaker is designed to treat individuals experiencing slow or irregular heart rhythms. The device is implanted directly into the heart’s chamber using a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure—without the need for surgical incisions or traditional pacemaker leads. This approach significantly reduces the risk of lead and pacemaker pocket complications and allows for a quicker recovery period. 

“The implantation of AVEIR™ for the first time in Africa reflects our commitment to addressing healthcare needs through the best available technologies,” emphasized Professor Moustaghfir. “This innovative technology offers a discreet and reliable solution for patients suffering from cardiac arrhythmia, while ensuring good protection against fainting and other rhythm disorders.”

“Today, Morocco reaches a new milestone in cardiovascular care”, said Adele Jamali, General Manager for Abbott’s cardiac rhythm management business in the Middle East and Africa. “By bringing AVEIR™ to the region, in collaboration with our distributor Vicenne through its subsidiary Soma Medical, we aim to expand access to innovative technologies that not only meet patients’ medical needs, but also empower them to live healthier, fuller lives.”

People who experience a slower-than-normal heart rate may receive a pacemaker to help restore a more normal heart rate. Unlike traditional pacemakers, leadless pacemakers do not require physicians to make an incision in the chest to implant the device or insulated wires – known as leads – that deliver the electrical energy to the heart. Instead, the device is implanted directly into the heart’s chamber via a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure and eliminates the need for cardiac leads. This offers a less restrictive recovery period and reduced leads and pocket complications.

Among the key advantages that differentiate AVEIR™ from other leadless pacemakers, is its ability to be retrieved at any time depending on the patient’s future needs or therapies. Besides, it can be upgraded to a dual chamber leadless system if the patient’s condition requires that.