Inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks in fractured Sprint Fidelis leads associated with 'appropriate' interrogation.
We present two patients with fractures within the pace-sense circuit of their Medtronic Sprint Fidelis leads who received inappropriate shocks from their Medtronic defibrillators during device interrogation. This was not simply a coincidence, but due to electromagnetic interference induced within the Sprint Fidelis lead by the device programmer during two-way communication with the defibrillator. Our subsequent investigations have uncovered at least two other similar incidents in Canada. We have also discovered that the Medtronic 'Auto-resume' feature may leave future patients uniquely vulnerable to such inappropriate shocks in the future.
Farwell
David
D
University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada. djfarwell@bigfoot.com
Redpath
Calum
C
Birnie
David
D
Gollob
Michael
M
Lemery
Robert
R
Posan
Emoke
E
Green
Martin
M
D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged