Safety of repetitive nerve stimulation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices
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Updated: May 12, 2026
Implantation and Control of Wireless, Battery-free Systems for Peripheral Nerve Interfacing
Published on: October 20, 2021
Edmond M Cronin1, Jennifer Gray, Bernard Abi-Saleh
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Introduction:
Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are vulnerable to inappropriate sensing of electromagnetic interference (EMI), such as from nerve conduction studies. We conducted a prospective study to assess the safety of repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS).
Methods:
Fourteen patients undergoing insertion of 10 ICDs and 4 pacemakers under general anesthesia received RNS of the median, axillary, and spinal accessory nerves at 2 HZ and 50 HZ. We recorded detection of EMI and whether or not this resulted in an arrhythmia diagnosis or change in pacing output.
Results:
EMI was visible in 2 ICDs, without spurious tachyarrhythmia detection. EMI was observed in 3 of the 4 pacemakers, which led to pacing inhibition and a pause in 2, both of which were programmed to a unipolar sensing configuration.
Conclusions:
RNS is safe in patients with ICDs. In pacemaker patients, RNS appears safe during bipolar sensing, but caution is recommended in pacemaker patients with unipolar sensing.
