Cardiac device infections complicated by erosion.
BACKGROUND
Implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) can be complicated by infection and device erosion. It is unclear if the clinical features of patients who have device erosion differ from those without erosion.


METHODS
We retrospectively examined the records of all patients referred for explantation of a pacemaker or defibrillator from January 2000 to May 2005. We examined demographic variables including age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) as well as clinical variables related to erosion and procedural variables.


RESULTS
Seventy-two patients with infected pacemakers or ICDs were identified. Of these cases, 30 (42%) developed infection complicated by erosion, of which 8/28 (29%) were related to ICDs, and 22/44 (50%) were related to pacemakers.


CONCLUSIONS
Device erosion was significantly associated with the presence of a non-systemic infection as opposed to cases without erosion. This finding may have implications in the timing of device re-implantation.
Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Vivian
V
Tsai
Henry
H
Chen
Henry
H
Hsia
Paul
P
Zei
Paul
P
Wang
Amin
A
Al-Ahmad
D000368:Aged; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004868:Equipment Failure; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology*; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D054047:Surgical Stomas / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology*