[Pacemaker and seat belt (author's transl)].
Although seat-belt-induced traffic accident injuries to wearers of pacemakers are rare, about 50,000 pacemaker patients have to "buckle up." A study of 450 pacemaker patients indicated that, as in the general population about 50% use their seat belts. Fifty percent of the patients felt uncomfortable or showed local damage of the area overlying the pacemaker. Studies with dummies revealed a 7-cm upward dislocation of the pacemaker caused by the negative acceleration and by the seat belt itself during the crash. This could be prevented by an external cap protecting the pacemaker.
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011482:Protective Devices; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*
Herzschrittmacher und Sicherheitsgurt.