FDA Approves World's Smallest Pacemaker from Medtronic

Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) announced on Tuesday that it had just received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Micra AV pacemaker. Not only is this particular pacemaker the smallest in the world, but it's also one of the few lead-less pacemakers available on the market, which are less invasive and have fewer complications than their lead-containing counterparts.

Heart blocks are generally the result of heart disease and get progressively worse over time. The Micra AV pacemaker treats patients with atrioventricular (AV) block, a condition where the electrical signals in the heart are partially (or completely) blocked as they travel to the various chambers. This can often cause dangerously slow heart rates, requiring patients to wear pacemakers.

A medical doctor holding a traditional pacemaker in his hand.