Comparison of the sutureless and suture-type epicardial electrodes in pediatric cardiac pacing

Fourteen consecutive patients with the suture-type electrode (Group 1) were compared with the previous 14 patents having the sutureless electrode (Group 2). five patients in Group 1 had had failure with the sutureless electrode, for a total of 23 patients. In Group 1, no exit block was encountered. One patient had sensing problems corrected simply by increasing the pacer rate. One patient had generator failure and another, lead fracture. In 5 patients in Group 2, exit block developed early (less than 6 months after implantation); 3 patients had the problem twice, making a total of eight early failures. Two patients had late exit block (more than 6 months after implantation). Improved results with the suture-type electrode can probably be explained by its smaller head, larger surface area, ease of placement in a small space, and control of direction and depth of implantation.