Management of phrenic nerve stimulation caused by epicardial pacemaker leads in children.
To find a suitable site with good sensing and low pacing thresholds, it may be necessary to place an epicardial pacemaker lead in close proximity to the phrenic nerve. To prevent phrenic stimulation, a silastic patch can be sewn over the area of the pacing electrode to shield it from the nerve. This simple technique prevents diaphragm contraction and has not interfered with long-term pacemaker lead function.
Wells
Winfield J
WJ
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. wwells@chla.usc.edu
Batra
Anjan S
AS
D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004868:Equipment Failure; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D010791:Phrenic Nerve; D012133:Respiratory Paralysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity