title: Ventricular capture by anodal pacemaker stimulation.
abstract: This report describes the case of an 86-year-old male with syncopal paroxysmal 2:1 atrioventricular block and a single chamber VVI pacemaker programmed to bipolar sensing and unipolar pacing. After recurrence of syncope, a complete loss of ventricular capture with regular ventricular sensing was observed on ECG; fluoroscopic examination suggested perforation of the right ventricle by the helix of the implanted screw-in lead. Reprogramming the pacemaker to bipolar pacing/sensing resulted in regular ventricular capture and sensing, suggesting effective anodal stimulation from the ring electrode permitting complete non-invasive palliation.
authors.affiliation: Divisione Clinicizzata di Cardiologia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Novara, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale, Azienda Ospedaliera Maggiore della Carità, Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy. occhetta@r-j.it
authors.forename: Eraldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Occhetta
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bortnik
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marino
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004868:Equipment Failure; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006327:Heart Block / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*