The Sutureless Electrode: Comparison with Transvenous and Sutured Epicardial Electrode Placement for Permanent Pacing

Consecutive series of 50 transvenous and 50 sutureless pacemaker insertions were reviewed and compared with a nonsimultaneous series of 50 patients who received sutured epicardial pacemakers. It is concluded that: (1) the sutureless electrode has a lower initial stimulation threshold than the transvenous type; (2) complications from sutureless electrodes are greater than with transvenous electrodes and similar to the incidence with sutured epicardial pacemakers; (3) initial pacing is more satisfactory with the sutureless electrode compared with the transvenous model; and (4) late electrode failure due to threshold rise is greater with the sutureless electrode than with the transvenous or sutured epicardial type.