Atrial pacemaker leads compared

In order to analyze the impact of different polarity and electrode designs on the acute pacing and sensing characteristics of pacemaker leads, 80 patients with complete heart block or sinus node dysfunction undergoing pacemaker implantation received eight different leads from five manufacturers. Once the leads were positioned, volt and current thresholds, P wave, peak-to-peak, and slew rate were assessed prospectively. There was no statistically significant difference between acute pacing thresholds, sensing characteristics, or unipolar and bipolar pacing thresholds. Active fixation leads allow atrial mapping and lead placement in areas generally inaccessible to tined tip leads. This is an advantage, especially for patients with a history of open heart surgery.