Experiences with a new external non-invasive pacemaker
Mangschau, A.; Forfang, K.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 107(9): 836-838
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 3590121 Document Number: 287799
A new external non-invasive temporary pacemaker (Zoll-ntp) was tested in ten healthy volunteers and ten patients with various heart diseases. The pacemaker was found effective in both sensing and stimulating the heart among the majority of the volunteers/patients. The stimulation threshold was 60 mA (mean) in both groups. Eight of the volunteers (threshold 48-60 mA) and six of the patients (threshold 41-61 mA) tolerated the stimulation well, reporting only minimal/moderate discomfort or pain. Patients who had recently undergone heart surgery had a higher stimulation threshold (mean 68 mA) than patients who had not been operated on (mean 57.5 mA). The new external non-invasive pacemaker represents a useful supplement in the treatment of brady-asystolic cardiac arrest. Pain and discomfort when the threshold exceeds approximately 60 mA, however, limits its use on conscious patients and the pacemaker can only be used for a short time.