Steroid-eluting and fractally coated electrodes in children with high pacing thresholds.
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.
Sinha
A-M
AM
Medical Clinic I, Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany. amsinha@ukaachen.de
Breithardt
O A
OA
Vazquez-Jimenez
J F
JF
Birkenhauer
F
F
Schauerte
P
P
Stellbrink
C
C
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
D005938:Glucocorticoids; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone