The salvage of infected cardiac pacemaker pockets using a closed irrigation system

Over a period of 71 months, 19 patients were treated for infected or eroded permanent pacemaker pockets. All cases were treated with local debridement and insertion of a closed irrigation system using a solution of tyloxapol and tobramycin. Successful eradicaiton of the infection, without complete replacement of the pacemaker system, was achieved in all cases.