Intrapleural permanent pacemakers in infancy.

Although treatment with permanent pacemakers has been extensively described in adults, there is little information about it in infants. Conventional sites for pacemaker implantation are the abdominal wall, subpectoral muscle region, subdiaphragmatic area, and the pelvic cavity. If the infant has a thin chest and abdominal wall, implantation of the pacemaker there produces an unsightly bulge and there is the ever present threat of wound dehiscence or wound infection because of the fairly large size of the unit.' We describe our experience with permanent pacemaker implants in 3 infants using an intrapleural site.