[The battery-state control. A new possibility for the control of pacemakers. Preliminary report (author's transl)]

After a brief examination of the technical problems of current pacemakers, with special reference to the battery state control, the authors present a new technique for such control. A power stabilizer able to generate a standard pulse of 4.3 in every condition of battery charge has been fitted on the power supply of a fixed rate pacemaker of normal production. By activating (through an external magnet) such apparatus, it is possible with an easy oscilloscopic measurement to obtain the real value of the battery voltage. Thus the comparison with previously taken measurements and the errors connected with the repetition of such measurements can be avoided. The stimulation rate and the pulse duration corresponding to the discharged state of the batteries can also be known in advance. The data obtained from the first two controls are reported.