Inability to communicate with ICDs: an underreported failure mode.
The inability to perform telemetry on an ICD may have many potential causes. We report three recently identified cases where such a finding was indicative of unexpected device failure. Two of these cases involved identical failure mechanisms resulting from arcing of current within the high voltage hybrid. This placed the device into a high current state that caused rapid and complete battery depletion. There were no company alerts issued regarding this systematic problem. A multicenter arrhythmia device/lead database would be extremely useful in providing timely and unbiased information concerning device problems.
Blitzer
M L
ML
Electrophysiology Service, Hospital of Saint Raphaels, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Marieb
M A
MA
Schoenfeld
M H
MH
D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020878:Device Removal; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013686:Telemetry; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration