UC Davis Health Implants First Atrial Leadless Pacemaker

Breakthrough procedure offers new hope for congenital heart patients with single ventricle.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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UC Davis Health has successfully implanted the first known atrial leadless pacemaker in two patients with Fontan circulation, a surgically created heart pathway for children born with complex congenital heart disease and only one functioning ventricle. The leadless pacemaker, which is placed inside the heart through a vein in the leg, eliminates the need for wires typically placed through open heart surgeries and may offer a safer, more durable solution for patients who commonly experience slow heart rates, pauses or irregular heart rhythms following Fontan surgery.

Why it matters

Fontan patients often face limited pacing options due to altered cardiovascular anatomy, elevated risk of clotting and challenges after multiple prior surgeries. Leadless pacemaker systems, which are smaller in size, may reduce risks of complications and offer a new treatment option for this patient population.

The details

Daniel Cortez, an adult congenital cardiologist and director of pediatric electrophysiology at UC Davis Health, successfully implanted the first known atrial leadless pacemaker in a patient with a lateral tunnel Fontan circulation and a patient with an extracardiac Fontan. The leadless pacemaker, Abbott's Aveir VR device, is a capsule-sized device placed inside the heart through a vein in the leg, eliminating the need for wires typically placed through open heart surgeries. The leadless pacemaker is predicted to last for more than 17 years.

  • On February 25, 2026, UC Davis Health announced the successful implantation of the first atrial leadless pacemaker in Fontan patients.

The players

Daniel Cortez

An adult congenital cardiologist and director of pediatric electrophysiology at UC Davis Health who successfully implanted the first known atrial leadless pacemakers in Fontan patients.

Abbott

The medical device company that manufactures the Aveir VR leadless pacemaker implanted by the UC Davis Health team.

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What they’re saying

“These cases show that atrial leadless pacing can be performed safely within a lateral tunnel Fontan and extracardiac Fontan and may offer meaningful advantages for patients who have exhausted traditional pacing options. Given the high prevalence of sinus node dysfunction in single-ventricle patients and challenges with epicardial leads, this technology could be a much-needed alternative.”

— Daniel Cortez, Lead author of the journal reports (Mirage News)

“These cases expand what we believed possible for Fontan patients and gives hope for a better quality of life for single ventricle patients.”

— Daniel Cortez (Mirage News)

What’s next

The UC Davis Health team plans to continue implanting leadless pacemakers in Fontan patients, exploring the potential of this new technology to improve outcomes and quality of life for this patient population.

The takeaway

The successful implantation of the first atrial leadless pacemakers in Fontan patients represents a significant medical breakthrough, offering a safer and more durable solution for managing the common heart rhythm issues faced by this complex patient group. This innovation expands the treatment options available and holds promise for enhancing the quality of life for individuals born with single-ventricle congenital heart defects.