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Cardiac pacing in neonates, infants, and preschool children
P C Gillette1, V L Zeigler, A T Winslow
1South Carolina Children's Heart Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425.
Insights
Pediatric pacemaker patients under 5 years old showed good long-term device function. Most children maintained their original pacing mode, with few requiring reoperation for battery or lead issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Implantable Electronic Devices
Background:
- Pacemakers are crucial for managing pediatric heart rhythm disorders.
- Long-term outcomes of pacemakers in young children require ongoing evaluation.
- Understanding device longevity and potential complications is essential for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term performance and safety of pacemakers in children under five years old.
- To evaluate the need for reoperations and identify common causes.
- To determine the durability of pacing modes in this pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective follow-up study of 37 children implanted with pacemakers before age five.
- Patient data collected over a follow-up period ranging from 1 to 105 months.
- Analysis of reoperation rates, reasons for reoperation, and pacing mode stability.
Main Results:
- Five out of 37 patients (13.5%) needed reoperation due to battery depletion.
- Two patients (5.4%) required reoperation for exit block in epicardial ventricular leads.
- All patients initially paced in DDD or AAI mode remained in their original pacing mode throughout the follow-up period.
Conclusions:
- Pacemakers demonstrate reliable long-term function in children under five.
- Battery depletion and lead issues represent the primary reasons for reoperation in this cohort.
- The DDD and AAI pacing modes are stable and effective for long-term use in young pediatric patients.
Abstract:
A series of 37 children < 5 years old at pacemaker implant were followed from 1 to 105 months. Five of 37 patients required reoperation for battery depletion while two required reoperation for exit block of epicardial ventricular leads. Each patient paced in the DDD or AAI mode was still in the original mode at the end of follow up.