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An argument for pacemaker reuse: pacemaker mortality in 169 patients over ten years
Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE
|November 1, 1986
Summary
Many pacemaker patients die before utilizing the full battery life, with 58% mortality within two years of generator implant. This early mortality impacts expected pacemaker longevity and suggests potential for device reuse.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Pacemaker battery longevity is a significant factor in device management.
- Early patient mortality can limit the utilization of implanted pacemaker generators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that early mortality prevents full utilization of current pacemaker battery longevity.
- To evaluate the economic implications of pacemaker reuse.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective examination of 169 consecutive pacemaker patient deaths.
- Comparison of mortality rates with pacemaker utilization in a current clinic population.
Main Results:
- 58% of patients died within two years of their last pacemaker generator implant.
- 19% mortality occurred within six months and 38% within one year.
- Deceased patients were older than living controls, and 43% of 246 current patients utilized pacemakers for over 48 months.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of pacemaker patients do not live long enough to exhaust the battery life of their implanted devices.
- Early mortality leads to underutilization of expected battery life, highlighting potential for pacemaker reuse and associated economic benefits.
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