[Preoperative assessment of patient with implanted cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators]

Takashi Kawano1, Shuzo Oshita

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Tokushima University School of Medicine, Tokushima 770-8503.

Masui. the Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology
|July 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Preoperative assessment is crucial for patients with pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators undergoing surgery. Careful evaluation ensures safe management and minimizes risks associated with cardiac devices during the operative period.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Devices
  • Perioperative Medicine

Context:

  • Over 400,000 patients in Japan have pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).
  • Increasing number of surgical patients have implanted cardiac devices.
  • Potential for adverse interactions between surgical environments and cardiac devices.

Purpose:

  • To emphasize the necessity of comprehensive preoperative evaluation for patients with cardiac devices.
  • To outline key aspects of preoperative assessment for pacemaker and ICD patients.
  • To highlight the importance of identifying and mitigating risks during surgery.

Summary:

  • Preoperative evaluation must include assessing the indication for the cardiac device (e.g., arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease) based on guidelines.
  • Determining pacemaker dependency, device type, and programmed settings is essential.
  • Potential adverse interactions between electrical/magnetic activity and cardiac device function require thorough pre-surgical assessment.

Impact:

  • Ensures patient safety during surgical procedures.
  • Facilitates informed decision-making for perioperative management.
  • Reduces the risk of device-related complications in surgical patients.

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