![]() 1, 3– 35) shows intermittent ventricular capture at a rate slower than normal, numerous spikes at a very high rate with different voltages and often without capture beats, simulating an ECG artifact.Ĭapture beat rate is low because this phenomenon occurs at the end of pacemaker life with depleted battery voltage. Previously the patient presented ventricular tachycardia (torsade de pointes) and had to be defibrillated. 1).ĮCG shows a storm of ventricular fibrillation. Low blood pressure was observed during runaway episodes ( Fig. The ECG showed a pacemaker rhythm at 60 ppm in VOO mode interrupted by repeated spike bursts at 2000 ppm of 3 s duration and progressively decreasing amplitude.ĭuring bursts, atrial flutter was observed with an escape ventricular rhythm at 30 bpm. He was alert, with an average heart rate of 40 bpm, and his blood pressure was 130/80 mmHg. He was admitted to our Intensive Care Unit because of presyncopal episodes for 3 days. Case 1Ī Medtronic model Minix ST 8330 (Minneapolis, MN) was implanted in a 67-year-old patient in another institution in 1994 because of complete atrioventricular (AV) block, with no recent follow-up. Runaway could have been avoided by timely pacemaker replacement. Fortunately, in these cases the patients displayed spontaneous rhythm. This event shows a typical ECG with captured beats alternating with non-captured high rate spikes. ![]() ![]() Low battery voltage can provoke low rate stimuli, capture and sensing failures, mode changes and less frequently the runaway phenomenon. Runaway is a rare but dangerous phenomenon due to generator dysfunction which may be related to its late replacement and battery depletion. ![]() Pacemaker patient follow-up is recommended to be more frequent near replacement time to avoid generator failure due to low or depleted battery voltage. Failure of capture, battery depletion, runaway Introduction ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |