title: Long-term functional integrity of atrial leads.
abstract: The effectiveness and reliability of atrial leads has been questioned. We studied retrospectively, all atrial leads implanted at our center (n = 494; 438 Medtronic Model 6957J, 56 Medtronic Model 4512) over a 5-year period ending December 31, 1987, to determine the frequency of atrial lead failure (pacing, sensing, or both) and the median duration of proper pacing and sensing function for each lead model studied. Eighty-eight percent of the polyurethane atrial leads continued to function satisfactorily at 5 years, results somewhat better than those reported heretofore in the literature, as well as our own past results with a variety of different lead types. There were 29 failures of pacing, sensing, or both (6% of implants). The cumulative survival of the atrial leads at 5 years was 88%. Pacing and sensing survival were 91% +/- 2.4% and 88% +/- 2.9%, respectively. We conclude that the choice of pacing mode for a new pacemaker should be based solely on the clinical indication and not on the concern that atrial pacing and sensing will be unreliable.
authors.affiliation: Pacemaker Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ 07112.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parsonnet
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hesselson
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Harari
mesh_terms: D004567:Electrodes, Implanted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011140:Polyurethanes; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes