[10-year experience with heart stimulation in atrioventricular heart block]

Data covering 177 cases of the atrioventricular block where cardiostimulation was effected by using Soviet-made batch-produced electrocardiostimulators are analyzed. The largest group included patients 50 to 70 years old (71 per cent). In 47 per cent of the cases the atrioventricular block stemmed from ischemic heart disease. As indications for cardiostimulation served the Morgagni-Adams-Stocks syndrome and a well-marked circulatory insufficiency. The hospital lethality comprised 15.8 per cent. The death was caused by acute cardio-pulmonary incompetence, thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery and myocardial infarction. Among complications secondary to cardiostimulation figure suppuration of the operating wound, disturbed integrity of the myocardial electrodes and a premature exhaustion of the cardiostimulators reserves. From among 130 patients kept under observation the duration of cardiostimulation comprised: up to 1-year--in 20.7, from 1 to 3 years--in 26.1, from 3 to 5 years--in 20.7, from 5 to 10 years--in 1m.7 and over 10 years--in 14.8 per cent.