RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Reuse of pacemakers, defibrillators and cardiac resynchronisation devices
JF Heart Asia
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, British Cardiovascular Society and Asia Pacific Heart Association
SP 59
OP 62
DO 10.1136/heartasia-2016-010828
VO 9
IS 1
A1 Raja J Selvaraj
A1 R Sakthivel
A1 Santhosh Satheesh
A1 Ajith Ananthakrishna Pillai
A1 Pascal Sagnol
A1 Xavier Jouven
A1 Bernard Dodinot
A1 Jayaraman Balachander
YR 2017
UL http://heartasia.bmj.com/content/9/1/59.abstract
AB Objective Access to pacemakers remains poor among many patients in low/middle-income countries. Reuse of explanted pacemakers is a possible solution, but is still not widespread because of concerns regarding outcomes, especially infection. Our objective was to study early outcomes with implants using reused devices and compare them with those with implants using new devices.Methods We studied all patients who underwent implantation of a new or reused pacemaker, cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) device or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in the last 5 years at a single institution. We analysed outcomes related to infection, device malfunction and device-related death within 6 months after initial implantation.Results During the study period, 887 patients underwent device implant, including 127 CRT devices or ICDs. Of these, 260 devices (29.3%) were reused and the others were new. At 6 months, there were three device-related infections in implants using a new device. There were no infections among patients receiving a reused device. There were no device malfunctions or device-related deaths in either group.Conclusions We found no difference in rate of infection or device malfunction among patients getting a reused device as compared with those with a new device. This study reinforces the safety of reusing devices for implant including CRT and ICDs.