title: Runaway pacemaker in an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galvin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: McGovern
mesh_terms: 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*