The team at the 2nd Department of Cardiology & Cardiac Electrophysiology at the UCC, MUG hospital, has successfully performed the implantation of the latest-generation BIOTRONIK Rivacor Sky cardioverter-defibrillator. The procedure took place only four months following the device’s global debut and represents the second implantation of its kind in Poland. This marks a new chapter in the management of cardiac rhythm disorders, offering improved clinical outcomes for patients.
The device was implanted in a 67-year-old patient with multiple cardiac comorbidities, including heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, persistent atrial fibrillation, and left bundle branch block (LBBB), which is the natural conduction pathway transmitting impulses from the atrioventricular node to the left ventricle.
The Rivacor Sky is the world’s first CE-marked cardioverter-defibrillator designed specifically for left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP). The device incorporates adaptive algorithms that continuously adjust pacing frequency and pattern, promoting more physiological resynchronisation and optimising ventricular function to closely mimic natural cardiac physiology.
This new family of high-energy therapeutic devices, now available to our patients, addresses a critical gap that emerged alongside the rapid development of conduction system pacing techniques. These systems generate and propagate electrical impulses that drive myocardial contraction. Rivacor Sky represents the first high-energy devices with CE certification intended for this type of pacing. The novel functionalities will enhance patient quality of life and, I believe, improve clinical outcomes. Among the many innovations, it is worth highlighting the MRI Guard 24/7 function, which allows safe magnetic resonance imaging without the need for device reprogramming or additional monitoring, stated Prof. Maciej Kempa of the 2nd Department of Cardiology & Cardiac Electrophysiology at the UCC, MUG Hospital. Equally significant are the advanced algorithms for arrhythmia detection and both low- and high-energy therapy, enabling fully individualised programming to meet the expectations of patients and their attending clinicians.
The second implantation of the BIOTRONIK Rivacor Sky in Poland was conducted on 2 March 2026 at the 2nd Department of Cardiology & Cardiac Electrophysiology, under the direction of Prof. Ludmiła Daniłowicz-Szymanowicz. The procedure was performed by Prof. Maciej Kempa and Szymon Budrejko, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. with the Electrophysiology & Cardiac Pacing Laboratory team. This achievement places Poland among the centres implementing the most advanced solutions in physiological pacing.
It is important to emphasise that our Gdańsk centre was selected by the manufacturer as one of only two sites in Poland to perform the inaugural procedures. This recognition underscores the hospital’s and department’s status as leaders in Polish cardiac electrophysiology. Such accomplishments are made possible by the dedication of the entire team and the support of hospital management, which prioritises ongoing development and adoption of the latest therapeutic innovations, Prof. Kempa added.
