Europace Advance Access originally published online on October 3, 2007
Europace 2007 9(12):1191-1193; doi:10.1093/europace/eum220
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PACING
Piggy-back pacing: implantation of pacemaker and defibrillator on top of each other
1 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Division of Cardiology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; 2 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing Laboratory, University of Toledo Medical Center, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo, OH 43614 USA; 3 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo Medical Center, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; 4 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Toledo Medical Center, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; 5 Cardiac Electrophysiology Services and Autonomic Dysfunction, University of Toledo Medical Center, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
Following the publication of several landmark trials, there has been a significant increase in the cardiac device implantation. Within this population there are a number of patients who have pre-existing cardiac devices that have been placed for a number of different conditions. While the usual approach is to remove the existing unit and replace it with a new device with the removal or capping of existing lead systems, this practice often sacrifices an existing unit that still possesses good battery longevity. We explored the possibility of separating the pacing and defibrillating functions by implanting a new device on the top of the old device in a piggy-back fashion. We report a series of four cases (with various indications) with differing combinations of devices. The procedure was performed safely in every one of them, and no device–device interaction was noted. Combining the new with existing units in a piggy-back manner may be a safe and cost-effective technique in the selected cases.
Key Words: Pacemaker, Defibrillator, Device to device interaction
* Corresponding author. Tel: +1 419 383 5066; fax: +1 419 383 3041. E-mail address: yousuf.kanjwal{at}utoledo.edu
Manuscript submitted 27 July 2007. Accepted after revision 10 September 2007.