Sudden pacemaker failure.
Two cases of sudden pacemaker failure due to fractured wires supplying power to the generator are described. Both devices were Kappa KD703 (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) implanted in a prepectoral subcutaneous pocket. In 2002, Medtronic issued an advisory regarding Kappa 700/600 devices. A number of these devices, all subpectoral implants, had presented with intermittent or no output due to fractured wires supplying power to the devices, leading to recommendations to replace susceptible devices in pacemaker-dependent patients. These two cases may warrant extension of this advisory to include all these devices, regardless of implant location.
Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Manitoba, St Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Nader
N
Elmayergi
Davinder S
DS
Jassal
Sach
S
Sinha
Kerry
K
Liebrecht
Colette
C
Seifer
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011475:Prosthesis Failure