The natural history of long-term cardiac pacing.

During the past ten years, 504 patients have received one or more pacemakers for complete heart block or other arrhythmia. Of these patients, 306 (61%) are alive. Actuarial analysis shows a steady attrition of 9.4% per year for the first five years, decreasing to 7% per year for the second five years. The overall survival was decreased for patients with congestive heart failure and advanced age and was not affected by the history of Stokes-Adams attacks, initial pulse rate below 50 per minute, or a QRS duration greater than 0.12 second prior to pacing. Cardiac problems were the primary cause of death in 71% of the patients. The natural history of patients with permanent pacemakers depends, more than any other factor, on the function of the left ventricle.

Permanent cardiac pacemakers: twelve-year experience with 287 patients.

Our total pacemaker experience was evaluated to determine survival, complications, effectiveness of follow-up techniques, and future goals for surveillance. A retrospective review of 287 patients with 570 pulse generators revealed 164 alive and 104 dead; 3 recovered normal conduction, 14 transferred care, and 2 have been lost to follow-up. Average age at initial implantation was 67 years. Overall mean generator life has been 22 months. The one-, three-, five-, and ten-year survival is 84, 71, 60, and 39%, respectively. The 738 operations performed averaged 2.6 procedures per patient. Of the total survivors, 108 (66%) had no complications; 56 (34%) have had at least one complication, 70% during the first year of the initial implantation. Fifty episodes of premature interruption of pacing service were detected. Ninety-one patients (32% of the group) have required an operative procedure on their pacemaker system more frequently than every two years. Of the replacements, 89 (29%) were for reasons other than end of generator life; 66 (63%) of the deaths occurred before replacement of the first generator. Mortality in the first two years was 23%. Once survival exceeded two years the average annual death rate was 3.7% (expected, 3.2%). Survival in our series compares favorably with that of other groups who report by the actuarial method. These data suggest that some deaths, reduced patient productivity, and the high cost to health care providers may be due in part to inadequate follow-up after the first pacemaker implantation. If follow-up observation is done frequently during the first year after initial implantation and once minimum generator longevity has passed, the goals of pacemaker therapy may be achieved.

[Permanent endocardial pacemaker. Review of 116 implantations (author's transl)]. / Marcapaso endocavitario permanente. A propósito de 116 implantaciones.

A retrospective study on the results of 116 permanent ventricular pacemaker implantations performed in the Service of Cardiology of the Hospital Clinico Universitario in Salamanca is reported. In the majority of cases the indication for a pacemaker was a complete atrioventricular block (53 cases). Sixteen cases had a "sick-sinus syndrome". An apparent cardiopathy was not found in 84 percent of the cases. In the group of patients with cardiopathy that of ischemic type was the most common. The technique of endocardiac catheter pacing was employed in all cases. An 18 percent of global complications occurred, but in no case an early electrode displacement was registered. Complications appeared at a later time included erosion of the pacemaker in ten cases, and displacement and/or deinsertion in seven. The mean life for 18 displaced generators was 41.3 months. A sudden equipment malfunction occurred in two cases, and an inhibition by potentials of the pectoralis major muscle in another. Morbidity rate was lower to that of other published series, may be due to the use of modern generators with a progressive reduction of its diameter and weight and more flexible electrodes which allow a better implantation. The mortality rate was zero.

[Implantation of a cardiac pacemaker in the octogenarian]. / Implantation de stimulateur cardiaque chez l'octogénaire.

Thirteen centres, specialized in pacemakers and studying the implantation, brought together their material. Consequently, 785 patients living with a pacemaker (PM) were grouped. The average age at the time of the first implantation is 83,5 years old. The mortality of 7.5% as well as the morbidity of 16% lie very low. Nevertheless, their causes are discussed and compared to those resulting from other types of surgical pathologies on the octogenarian. It seems that the implantation of a PM, even on a person of 80 or older, is an efficient therapeutic gesture, benign and capable of normalizing the chances and quality of life on a long term basis.