Key result
Concomitant use of deep brain stimulation and cardiac pacemakers in 8 patients showed no evidence of DBS dysfunction and only 1 case of abnormal pacemaker interrogation unrelated to interference.
Why the study?
Neurosurgical technical considerations and contraindications for deep brain stimulation remain incompletely characterized, and it is unclear whether clinically significant interference occurs between deep brain stimulation and cardiac pacemaker systems.
Does deep brain stimulation cause clinically significant interference with cardiac pacemakers in patients with both devices?
Observational (n=8)
Does deep brain stimulation cause clinically significant interference with cardiac pacemakers in patients with both devices?
Deep brain stimulation and cardiac pacemakers do not appear to cause clinically significant interference with one another in patients with both devices.
BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment modality increasingly utilized in the management of neurological and psychiatric conditions. Neurosurgical technical considerations and contraindications have yet to be thoroughly characterized in the literature. The patient population for DBS includes many elderly patients with multiple comorbidities who require treatments and investigations that expose them to electromagnetic fields of varying strengths and durations, including other implanted electromodulatory devices. OBJECTIVE: To determine if clinically significant interference arises between DBS and cardiac pacemaker systems. METHODS: Here we audited 8 patients, mean age 72, with cardiac pacemakers and DBS implanted from 2007 to 2015. We investigated details of their neurological and electrocardiological treatment and progress and sought evidence for interference between the two systems. RESULTS: We found no evidence of DBS dysfunction, and only one case of abnormal pacemaker interrogation 2 yr post-DBS implantation was found, which was thought to be secondary to a medication issue rather than neuromodulation interference. CONCLUSION: Our research reassures the clinician that pacemakers and DBS systems do not appear to affect one another and provides guidance on minimizing possibility of this.
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Heard et al. (2019) conducted an observational in Concomitant cardiac pacemakers and deep brain stimulation (n=8). Deep brain stimulation in the presence of a cardiac pacemaker was evaluated on Clinically significant interference between DBS and cardiac pacemaker systems. Concomitant use of deep brain stimulation and cardiac pacemakers in 8 patients showed no evidence of DBS dysfunction and only 1 case of abnormal pacemaker interrogation unrelated to interference.
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