[One year experiences with a new atrial lead (j-version) in 53 patients (author's transl)]

The new atrial leads (J-version) of type Medtronic 6991, of which we implanted endocardially a total of 53 between April 1975 and May 1976, are characterized by properties, as, up to now, were exclusively to be seen in the so-called flange electrodes of ventricular position. 1. The tined J-leads were easily to introduce and required only an average of 5 minutes to position into the right appendage. 2. Moreover, these atrial leads guaranteed an anatomic stable anchorage with a dislodgement ratio of less than 6% (3 of 53). 3. Additionally, the action voltages sensed the J-shaped electrodes showed themselves averaging 5.2 mV of very high amplitude. Up to this time comparable results could not be achieved neither by other atrial leads nor techniques of their emplacement. The intraatrial voltage thresholds exceeded, as described before, the intraventricular ones by two to three times. In spite of this, no exit block was seen in 34 cases with atrial pacing systems, not even during an observation time of maximal 13 months. Therefore, the tined J-leads fulfill all requirements of a suitable atrial electrode.