Pacemaker Failure (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Pacemaker failure is the inability of an implanted artificial pacemaker to perform its intended function of regulating the beating of the heart. It is defined by the requirement of repeat surgical pacemaker-related procedure after the initial implantation. A study of pacemaker failure in Oregon in the 1970's indicates that 10% of implanted pacemakers failed within the first month. Causes of pacemaker failure included: lead related failure (lead migration, lead fracture, ventricular perforation), unit malfunction (battery failure or component malfunction), problems at the insertion site (infections, tissue breakdown, battery pack migration), failures related to exposure to high voltage electricity or high intensity microwaves, and a miscellaneous category (one patient had ventricular tachycardia when using his electric razor and another patient suffered from persistent pacing of the diaphragm muscle).