Routine pacemaker control, and selective replacement of pulse generators. A cost/benefit analysis

Abstract

Two hundred and fifty patients with permanent pacemaker have been followed up with routine pacemaker controls in a pacemaker clinic for a 2 1 months period 1/3-73 to 1/1-75. Ninetyfive pulsegenerators were replaced. Sixtytwo of the replacements were due to impending battery exhaustion, nine elective and 24 for other reasons. Signs discovered by the patients led to replacements in 2 1 cases for impending battery exhaustion and in 17 cases for other reasons. Fortyone replacements for impending battery exhaustion and 7 other replacements followed a scheduled visit to the pacemaker clinic. The selective replacement policy resulted in an average gain of pulsegenerator lifetime of 6.5 months, compared to a 24 minths elective replacement policy.Increased safety is obtained by routine control of pacemaker patients in a pacemaker clinic.