Pacemaker twiddler's syndrome is the phenomenon whereby a pacemaker patient may actively dislodge a pacing electrode by manipulating, often unconsciously, the permanent implanted pacemaker. This unusual case is remarkable in several respects: surgical precautions, originally taken to secure the pulse generator against migration, proved ineffective; the displaced lead featured an active fixation...

The malpositioning of a pacemaker lead is an uncommon and under-reported complication of pacemaker/Automated Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (AICD) placement. It can be associated with complications such as pericardial effusions and tamponade. We describe a case of an elderly woman who developed cardiac tamponade after inadvertent placement of a permanent pacing lead in the left ventricl...

Vietnamese children and adolescents with diphtheritic myocarditis and severe conduction abnormalities were treated prospectively with temporary insertion of a cardiac pacemaker. Five of 32 patients died before the procedure could be performed; the remaining 27 patients underwent successful pacemaker insertion. In children and adolescents with diphtheritic myocarditis and severe conduction defec...

Electrocautery has a potential risk of serious pacemaker dysfunction in patients with implanted pacemaker. Here we present the safe and efficient use of ultrasonic scalpel (Harmonic scalpel) for the first time in a patient with implanted pacemaker undergoing open-heart reoperation. q 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

In this study, we studied whether hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) has an effect on the pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), in the small intestine of mice. The actions of H(2)S on pacemaker activity were investigated using whole-cell patch-clamp technique, intracellular Ca(2+) analysis at 30 and RT-PCR in cultured mouse intestinal ICC. Exogenously applied sodium hydrogen sulfide (N...

A 58-year-old male baseball coach with a prepectoral dualchamber permanent pacemaker (Accent DR 2210; St. Jude Medical) implanted for sinus node dysfunction was evaluated for a pocket hematoma after he was hit by a baseball over the pacemaker. Data from the pacemaker showed normal atrial and ventricular capture, but both lead impedances were elevated (although still within the manufacturer’s no...

BACKGROUND In vitro testing is used to determine safe parameters before performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a patient with an implant. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate a cardiac pacemaker using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance (MR) system. METHODS A modern cardiac pacemaker (INSIGNIA I PLUS, Model 1298, and FINELINE II, Model 4471, pacing leads; Guidant Corporation,...

In this paper, we describe a relatively inexpensive framework for the design of an academic dual chamber pacemaker that can be used to empirically analyze different pacemaker designs. The goal of this framework is to provide a convenient platform that can be used for research and teaching in realtime embedded system design. The framework can also be used for model-driven development of pacemake...

Background Imaging patients with a pacemaker or AICD has always been taboo in the MRI environment. However, with current improvements in pacemaker lead and generator development along with very vigilant and knowledgeable personnel in pacemaker safety, MRI procedures can be implemented successfully. However, safe performance, not withstanding the risks, leads one to question if the results from ...

Subclavian vein puncture is a relatively fast and safe technique to access the right heart for placement of pacemaker leads. Hemothorax related to injury of the pulmonary artery (PA) is a rare complication of subclavian vein access but can be life-threatening. We report a case of hemothorax occurring after subclavian vein puncture for pacemaker implantation. No cases of transcatheter arterial e...