Why the study?
Does therapeutic pulsed x-ray radiation cause failure in programmable pacemakers compared to demand pacemakers?
Does therapeutic pulsed x-ray radiation cause failure in programmable pacemakers compared to demand pacemakers?
Therapeutic levels of pulsed x-ray radiation can cause sudden complete failure in programmable pacemakers, indicating direct radiation of these devices should be avoided.
Programmable pacemakers may fail under radiation; hypothesis-generating and requires clinical validation before practice change.
Two series of present-day pacemakers were tested in vitro with pulsed x-ray radiation. The first series of 12 pacemakers consisted of 10 different types and models of demand pacemakers (VVI). The second series of 13 pacemakers had 9 different types and models of programmable pacemakers. Unlike the first series which showed only mild changes in frequency and pulse width, all but four of the programmable pacemakers presented sudden complete failure after different radiation doses. We conclude that direct pulse radiation at therapeutic levels of programmable pacemakers should be avoided.
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Adamec et al. (1982) studied this question.
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