Pacemaker troubleshooting

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Follow-up of pacemaker systems for His bundle pacing (HBP) requires electrocardiogram (ECG) knowledge and creative thinking. This relates to ventricular threshold measurement in which it can be difficult to distinguish between selective HBP and loss of capture with pseudofusion since, by definition, intrinsic QRS complexes and those selectively paced via the His bundle look identical. Threshold testing in HBP is best performed in unipolar pacing mode, recording of a 12-lead ECG and pacing in VVI mode significantly above the intrinsic rate...

The number of patients with implantable electronic cardiac devices is continuously increasing. As more pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are being placed, a basic understanding of some troubleshooting for devices is becoming essential. Loss of capture can be an emergent presentation for an unstable patient and can be encountered intermittently in hospitalized patients. There are many causes for a loss of capture, with the timing of the implant having a high correlation with certain causes over others...

Because of the growing number of implanted cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators and the ever-increasing complexity of these devices a fundamental knowledge of device malfunctions is of utmost importance even for the non-cardiology physician. Apart from hardware problems such as device infection, lead fracture or dislocation, basic knowledge of the pacemaker sensing and pacing algorithms is also necessary in order to judge the stimulation behavior in different clinical settings. With this respect, there are specific problems for antibradycardia and resynchronizing pacemakers as well as implantable defibrillators...

Symptomatic bradycardia is usually caused by abnormalities of atrioventricular conduction or sinus node dysfunction. Reversible and irreversible causes must be considered.Temporary pacemakers are used in the emergency treatment in case of severe bradyarrhythmia.They help to bridge the acute phase until spontaneous restoration of atrioventricular or sinus node function or -if spontaneous restoration fails- until a permanent pacemaker system was implanted.In the following article we discuss the commonly used temporary pacemaker systems...

With advances in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, several newer implantable cardiac devices have become common in the surgical population. Multichamber pacemakers, implanted cardiac defibrillators and ventricular assist devices are frequent in current day practice. Many of the newer implantable cardiac electronic devices are targeted at managing heart failure. While managing such patients for non-cardiac surgeries, specific issues related to equipment characteristics and troubleshooting should be a priority for the anaesthesiologists...

A 73 year old man with CRT-D system and pacemaker dependence was admitted to the emergency department due to a syncopal episode. The device interrogation was performed. An RV ventricular sensing test was executed in VVI mode at 50 b/m. During testing the patient developed transient loss of consciousness with full recovery after stopping the sensing test. Applying asynchronous pacing mode, a pacing spike occurred at a faster rate of 65 b/m without evoking any ventricular capture. Looking at the chest X-ray, we found an abandoned right sided, single chamber VVI pacemaker in a submuscular pocket...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) with absence of right SVC (isolated PLSVC) is a rare congenital anomaly that occurs as a result of a degenerative condition in the left anterior cardinal vein. It is generally an incidental finding while performing invasive procedures such as antiarrhythmic device implantation. We report on a rare case of permanent pacemaker implantation in a patient with this anomaly from right subclavian route, albeit most of the earlier reported cases are from left subclavian approach...

BACKGROUND: The use of cardiac implantable electrical devices continues to increase with the validation of new beneficial indications. While the risks of device implantation decreased significantly over time, significant risk remains associated with their extraction when indicated. A high-risk pacemaker lead extraction case is described, wherein a chronically implanted lead that had perforated the right atrium was successfully removed without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. In this report we share our approach to this challenging extraction case and describe an infrequently utilized off-pump hybrid technique that we term the "lead-inverting stitch"...

BACKGROUND: Venous anomalies of the thorax can occur in isolation or in association with complex congenital heart disease. The incidence of an absent right superior vena cava in the setting of a persistent left superior vena cava is very rare in the general population with only a dozen cases documented in the medical literature. Such venous anomalies can make for very challenging electronic cardiac device implantation. We report our challenging dual chamber pacemaker implant in a patient with such complex anatomy and focus on our implantation technique that helped achieve adequate lead positioning...

The number of patients receiving pacemakers and defibrillators has grown substantially over the last 20 years. In addition, the complexity and sophistication of these devices have increased, making diagnosis of pacemaker problems using the electrocardiogram (ECG) more difficult for clinicians in the emergency department. This article will focus on a few of the pitfalls to be avoided when interpreting paced ECGs. Pacemaker algorithms designed to minimize right ventricular pacing may be confused with pathologic failure to output...

Knowledge of the available sensing polarities in biventricular pacemakers is necessary for appropriate troubleshooting and avoiding possible pitfalls of cardiac resynchronization therapy programming, as illustrated through this case presentation.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the practical operation of temporary pacemakers in common use pertinent to the intensivist caring for the postcardiac patient. Pacemaker therapy is commonly required in the postoperative period after congenital cardiac surgery. DATA SYNTHESIS: Monitoring the hemodynamic status and availability of equipment for resuscitation is always important in any patient requiring a temporary pacemaker. Two important scenarios to consider in the pediatric intensive care unit are: 1) the patient in whom pacing has been initiated to optimize cardiac function; and 2) the patient without demonstrable spontaneous electrical activity or with extreme bradycardia...

BACKGROUND: The electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns during pacing from the great cardiac vein (GCV) and the middle cardiac vein (MCV) are not well known. METHODS: We recorded 12-lead ECGs during GCV and MCV pacing in 26 patients undergoing implantation of a cardiac resynchronization device. The left ventricular (LV) lead was passed down the GCV (n = 19) or MCV (n = 7) prior to moving it to a lateral or posterolateral vein for permanent implantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Pacing within the GCV resulted in a left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology with no or minimal R-wave in V(1) in 14 patients and a right bundle branch block (RBBB) pattern (R > S in lead V(1)) in four patients...

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The first part of this two-part review discussed the indications for various types of epicardial pacing systems and an overview of the routine care of a pacemaker-dependent patient. Dual chamber temporary pulse generators now feature many of the refinements developed initially for use in permanent pacemakers. Few of these are utilised in the immediate postoperative period, often solely due to lack of familiarity with all but basic functions. The second part of the review deals with the selection of pacing modes...

Pacemaker diagnostics can be useful to troubleshoot both during life and after death. A 58-year old man with a single chamber ventricular pacemaker and a previous His bundle ablation died suddenly. Interrogation of his pacemaker revealed the cause of death not as pacemaker malfunction, but a fatal ventricular arrhythmia.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established adjunctive treatment for patients with systolic heart failure (HF) and ventricular dyssynchrony. The majority of recipients respond to CRT with improvements in quality of life, New York Heart Association functional class, 6-min walk test, and ventricular function. Management of HF after CRT may include up-titration of neurohormonal blockade and an exercise prescription through cardiac rehabilitation to further improve and sustain clinical outcomes. Diagnostic data provided by the CRT device may help to facilitate and optimize treatment...