title: Steroid-eluting and fractally coated electrodes in children with high pacing thresholds.
abstract: High pacing thresholds in epicardially implanted leads are a frequent issue in children after cardiac surgery. In 2 infants, repeated revisions of non-steroid-eluting leads were necessary. To avoid further frequent replacements, two epicardial ventricular leads, one steroid-eluting and an additional fractally coated electrode as a pacing "backup" were connected to the atrial and ventricular outlet of a DDD pacemaker, allowing a comparison between two both electrodes. Showing no differences in long-term measurements, both electrodes seem to provide a comparably high level of safety.
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic I, Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany. amsinha@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Breithardt
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Vazquez-Jimenez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Birkenhauer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schauerte
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stellbrink
mesh_terms: D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006327:Heart Block / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019233:Retreatment
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone