Biotronik has announced the launch of the new Acticor Sky and Rivacor Sky device family featuring “the world’s first” CE mark-approved left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) high-voltage device, according to a press release from the company. These next-generation implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds) are now available across CE markets.
The first European commercial implant was performed at University Hospital Frankfurt (Frankfurt, Germany) by Anastasia Falagkari and Reza Wakili. The team implanted the CRT-D device Rivacor Sky HF-T in an 87-year-old patient with ischaemic cardiomyopathy requiring an ICD, a history of atrial fibrillation (AF), and an expected high ventricular pacing rate.
“The device’s streamlined programming and diagnostics were immediately noticeable,” said Falagkari. “Pacing in the left bundle branch area provides more physiologic and synchronised heart contractions, which is exactly what we aim for in resynchronisation therapy. The CRT-DX technology allows a dual-lead CRT approach, contributing to a more efficient implantation procedure. In addition, based on the two-lead-only approach, it is very likely to also reduce complication risk in the future.”
“Combining physiological pacing capabilities with enhanced DX atrial sensing in a single platform gives us practical advantages in daily clinical decision-making,” Wakili added, discussing his first experience with the new devices. “It allows us to identify arrhythmias earlier and tailor therapy pathways more accurately, which is essential when managing patients with complex rhythm disorders.”
Key features of Biotronik’s new device family include physiological pacing options, enhanced arrhythmia management, optimised therapy delivery, and workflow efficiency, the company also claims.
“With Acticor and Rivacor Sky, we created a platform that elevates cardiac care,” commented Andreas Hecker, chief technology officer at Biotronik. “This new device family combines proven reliability with advanced algorithms to tailor therapy more precisely while simplifying workflows that support physicians in their daily work.”
According to Biotronik, with conduction system pacing (CSP) gaining recognition as a more physiological pacing strategy, healthcare teams are increasingly relying on systems that support LBBAP workflows without adding procedural complexity—and Acticor Sky and Rivacor Sky represent a “significant advancement” in this field.
