Mizoram has recorded its first leadless pacemaker implantation at Aizawl Civil Hospital, with doctors performing the advanced cardiac procedure at the government hospital on Monday.
Health Minister Lalrinpuii said the procedure was carried out by a team of cardiologists led by Dr Loncy V Lalzarliana and Dr Isak Lallawmkima, under the guidance of Dr Uday Shankar Das of Apollo Multispeciality Hospital, Kolkata.
The development comes about 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 under the skin and leads passing through blood vessels, a leadless pacemaker is placed directly inside the heart through a catheter inserted through the femoral vein. The technique avoids the need for an incision to create a pacemaker pocket and eliminates the use of leads through blood vessels.
Lalrinpuii said the Abbott AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker used in the procedure is designed to have a battery life of more than 18 to 21 years, compared with around nine to 11 years for conventional pacemakers.
The patient was a 67-year-old pensioner and underwent the procedure under the Mizo Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS), the minister said.
Dr Loncy said the procedure was the first leadless pacemaker implantation performed in Mizoram. Conventional pacemaker implantations have also been carried out at the hospital previously.
“The milestone is expected to strengthen the cardiac-care capabilities of Civil Hospital Aizawl and marks a significant step towards providing advanced heart treatment within Mizoram,” Lalrinpuii said in a social media post.
The availability of the procedure in Aizawl is expected to reduce the need for patients requiring advanced cardiac interventions to travel outside Mizoram for treatment.
