Interaction Between Electronic Article Surveillance Systems and Implantable Defibrillators: Insights from a Fourth Generation ICD

We present a case report of an inappropriate discharge from a fourth generation implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) as a result of exposure to electromagnetic interference. A 60-year-old man implanted with a Medtronic 7219D defibrillator experienced shocks without preceding symptoms while walking through an electronic surveillance system in a store. Though this has been reported, the mechanism of the interaction remains unexplained. The electrogram storage capabilities of this particular device enabled us to establish that this resulted from inappropriate sensing of the electromagnetic interference.