Apparent pacemaker failure caused by activation of ventricular threshold test by a magnetic instrument mat during general anaesthesia.
A patient with a permanent pacemaker underwent radical neck dissection. After induction of anaesthesia, a magnetic surgical instrument mat was placed over the patient's chest. This caused the pacemaker to go into a threshold test which included a 2.5-s period of asystole. Surgery had to be abandoned temporarily. We suggest that magnetic instrument mats should not be used with pacemaker patients; not all pacemakers are converted to a fixed magnetic rate by application of a magnet. The anaesthetist should check to see if the patient has a pacemaker with a threshold test and, if possible, this should be rendered inactive.
Purday
J P
JP
Department of Anaesthesia, Guy's Hospital, London.
Towey
R M
RM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D004868:Equipment Failure; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013523:Surgical Equipment / Q000009:adverse effects*