Do ultrasonic dental scalers interfere with implantable cardioverter defibrillators? An in vivo investigation.
OBJECTIVE
To test the in vivo effects of an ultrasonic dental scaler on various implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) models.


METHODS
12 consecutive patients with ICDs had continuous both electrocardiogram monitoring and device interrogation to detect interferences during the use of an ultrasonic dental scaler.


RESULTS
No interferences were detected by any ICD. Evaluation of the electrocardiograms for each patient failed to show any abnormalities in pacing during testing.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that the routinary clinic use of piezoelectric dental scalers do not interfere with the functioning of any of the tested ICDs.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasonic dental scalers have been suspected of electromagnetic interference (EMI) with the normal functioning of ICDs and the use of this type of equipment for patients with these devices has been controversial. This is the first in vivo study to investigate EMI of ICD activity during the operation with ultrasonic dental scaler.
School of Oral Surgery, Dental Clinic, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
Carlo
C
Maiorana
Giovanni B
GB
Grossi
Rocco A
RA
Garramone
Ruggero
R
Manfredini
Franco
F
Santoro
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000145:classification; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000295:instrumentation*
Electromagnetic interference; Implantable cardioverter defibrillator; Ultrasonic dental scaler