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Runaway Pacemaker in an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator |
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| Authors: | CHARLES M. CARPENTER M.D. JOSEPH GALVIN MRCPI MARY GUY R.N. BRIAN A. McGOVERN M.D. |
| Affiliation: | Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Abstract: | Runaway Pacemaker in an ICD. Introduction : Runaway pacemaker is a potentially catastrophic complication of any permanent pacing system. Methods and Results : A 70-year-old man was found to have erratic behavior of his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) during a routine outpatient interrogation. His device was turned off, and he was hospitalized in preparation for a pulse generator replacement. During his hospitalization, his ICD unexpectedly began pacing rapidly. Despite prompt resuscitation attempts, the patient died. Postmortem examination of the device demonstrated a crystal oscillator failure. Conclusion : A previously unrecognized component malfunction is a potentially lethal complication of ICDs. |
| Keywords: | implantable cardioverter defibrillator malfunction crystal oscillator failure |