Simple method to eliminate interference between ventricular assist devices and cardiac rhythm devices

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Device Technology
• Cardiovascular Devices

Background:

• Ventricular assist devices (VADs) like the Heartmate II are crucial for heart transplant candidates and permanent support.
• The Heartmate II VAD generates electromagnetic noise, interfering with programming of certain defibrillators.
• Explantation of defibrillators has been the sole solution for this interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a simple solution for programming defibrillators in patients with a Heartmate II VAD.
• To address the electromagnetic interference issue without device removal.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cast-iron pans as a shielding method.
• Applied this shielding to reduce electromagnetic interference between Heartmate II VADs and St. Jude Medical's Atlas defibrillators.

Main Results:

• A straightforward shielding protocol effectively eliminated electromagnetic interference.
• This method successfully allowed defibrillator programming without explantation.

Conclusions:

• The described shielding technique offers a practical solution for device-device interaction issues.
• Simple, bedside interventions can prevent the need for removing essential medical devices, improving patient care.