Runaway pacemaker in an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
BACKGROUND
Runaway pacemaker is a potentially catastrophic complication of any permanent pacing system.


RESULTS
A 70-year-old man was found to have erratic behavior of his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) during a routine outpatient interrogation. His device was turned off, and he was hospitalized in preparation for a pulse generator replacement. During his hospitalization, his ICD unexpectedly began pacing rapidly. Despite prompt resuscitation attempts, the patient died. Postmortem examination of the device demonstrated a crystal oscillator failure.


CONCLUSIONS
A previously unrecognized component malfunction is a potentially lethal complication of ICDs.
Carpenter
C M
CM
Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
Galvin
J
J
Guy
M
M
McGovern
B A
BA
D000368:Aged; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004868:Equipment Failure; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013577:Syndrome; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*