We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
A Decade of Nuclear Pacing.
- Authors
Parsonnet, Victor; Gilbert, Lawrence; Zucker, I. Richard; Werres, Roland; Atherley, Trevor; Manhardt, Marjorie; Cort, Jane
- Abstract
In April, 1973, a decade-long study was begun on nuclear-powered pacemakers. The first 15 of these were designed by the Numec Corporation under a contract from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, Altogether 151 units powered by the isotope Plutonium 238 were implanted in 131 patients; the pacemakers of 4 different manufacturers were used. The last nuclear pacemaker was implanted in January, 1983, The actuarial survival at 10 years was 92%, meeting the original performance goal of the Commission of 90%, Ninety pulse generators are still in service today; 25 patients have died and 36 pulse generators have been replaced with non-nuclear units. The most common indication for replacement was an inappropriate pacing mode. This high reliability and superior performance suggest that continued use of a radioisotopic power source is justified, particularly if combined with the electronic circuits of today's dual-chambered, multiprogrammable, and multifunctional pacemakers.
- Subjects
UNITED States; CARDIAC pacemakers; CARDIAC pacing; NUCLEAR energy; ISOTOPES; PLUTONIUM; NUMEC Corp.
- Publication
Pacing & Clinical Electrophysiology, 1984, Vol 7, Issue 1, p90
- ISSN
0147-8389
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1540-8159.1984.tb04865.x