Malta has reached a new milestone in cardiac care after a team at Mater Dei Hospital successfully implanted the country’s first dual-chamber leadless pacemaker, introducing technology that can offer an alternative to conventional pacemakers for selected patients.The procedure was carried out this week by a multidisciplinary cardiac team at Mater Dei, with Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ian Borg meeting the healthcare professionals involved following the operation.Dual-chamber leadless pacemakers are around one-tenth the size of a conventional pacemaker and differ significantly from traditional devices. Rather than requiring a pacemaker pocket beneath the skin and leads running through the veins into the heart, the miniature devices are implanted directly inside the heart. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)In the dual-chamber system, two small devices are positioned inside the right atrium and right ventricle, where they communicate with each other to coordinate the pacing of both chambers of the heart.Dr Andrew Cassar Maempel, Chairman of Mater Dei’s Cardiology Department and a Consultant Cardiologist, explained that the technology can be particularly useful for selected patients who have previously experienced infections involving cardiac devices, face an increased risk of infection or have blocked or difficult venous access in their upper limbs.The milestone builds on Mater Dei’s existing leadless pacing programme, which began in 2023 with the introduction of single-chamber leadless pacemakers. Dual-chamber technology now expands the range of patients who may potentially benefit from leadless pacing.Borg congratulated the cardiologists, nurses, cardiac physiologists, radiographers and other members of Mater Dei’s Cath Lab and Cardiology teams involved in the procedure, saying investment in new medical technology ultimately matters when it improves patients’ wellbeing and quality of life.The Health Ministry said the latest development forms part of a broader expansion of advanced cardiovascular treatment at Mater Dei, alongside developments in areas including electrophysiology, arrhythmia ablation, structural heart procedures and coronary interventions.Well done to the entire Mater Dei team behind this medical milestone! •