Leadless ICD Battery Lifespan
There are currently no commercially available leadless ICDs (implantable cardioverter-defibrillators) on the market, so battery lifespan data does not exist for this device type. You may be confusing this with leadless pacemakers (such as the Micra), which are fundamentally different devices.
Critical Distinction Between Device Types
- Leadless pacemakers (e.g., Micra) are small, self-contained devices implanted directly in the right ventricle via femoral vein access that provide pacing therapy only 1
- Traditional ICDs require transvenous leads and provide defibrillation, cardioversion, and pacing capabilities 2
- No leadless ICD technology has received regulatory approval or entered clinical practice as of current evidence 2
Why Leadless ICDs Don't Exist
- Energy requirements for defibrillation far exceed what current miniaturized battery technology can deliver in a leadless form factor 3, 4
- Shock delivery requires high-voltage capacitors that cannot be miniaturized to leadless dimensions while maintaining therapeutic efficacy 4, 5
- The physics of defibrillation demand either large surface area electrodes or high energy density that leadless technology cannot currently achieve 2
Traditional ICD Battery Longevity (For Reference)
If you meant to ask about traditional transvenous ICDs, battery longevity varies significantly:
- Single-chamber ICDs: approximately 5.5 years mean battery life 4
- Dual-chamber ICDs: approximately 5.8 years mean battery life 4
- CRT-D devices: approximately 4.7 years mean battery life, representing 2-3 years less longevity per additional lead 3, 4
- Manufacturer differences: Boston Scientific devices demonstrate 2-3 years longer longevity compared to other manufacturers in recent analyses 3
- Newer generation devices (implanted after 2020) show 2-4 years improved longevity compared to older models 3, 4
Factors Affecting Traditional ICD Longevity
- Programmed pulse width and output are the strongest determinants of battery depletion beyond manufacturer differences 3
- Pacing percentage significantly impacts longevity, with higher pacing burden reducing battery life 4, 6
- Number of shocks delivered has minimal impact on overall longevity in most studies 4, 5
Common Pitfall
Do not confuse leadless pacemakers with ICDs. Patients requiring defibrillation therapy cannot be treated with leadless devices and require traditional transvenous ICD systems with leads 2, 1.