Heart Rhythm
Volume 4, Issue 1 , Pages 1-4 , January 2007

Potential interference of small neodymium magnets with cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

  • Thomas Wolber, MD

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Center, Cardiology, University Hospital, Zurich
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests and correspondence: Thomas Wolber, M.D., Cardiovascular Center, Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistr. 100, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
    • ,
  • Salome Ryf, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH, Zurich
    • Federal Office of Public Health, Berne, Switzerland.
    • ,
  • Christian Binggeli, MD

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Center, Cardiology, University Hospital, Zurich
    • ,
  • Johannes Holzmeister, MD

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Center, Cardiology, University Hospital, Zurich
    • ,
  • Corinna Brunckhorst, MD

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Center, Cardiology, University Hospital, Zurich
    • ,
  • Roger Luechinger, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH, Zurich
    • ,
  • Firat Duru, MD

      Affiliations

    • Cardiovascular Center, Cardiology, University Hospital, Zurich

Received 31 August 2006 ,Accepted 8 September 2006.

References 

  1. Pinski SL, Trohman RG. Interference in implanted cardiac devices (Part II. Pacing). Clin Electrophysiol. 2002;25:1496–1509
  2. Luechinger R, Duru F, Zeijlemaker VA, Scheidegger MB, Boesiger P, Candinas R. Pacemaker reed switch behavior in 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging units: are reed switches always closed in strong magnetic fields?. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2002;25:1419–1423
  3. Kolb C, Deisenhofer I, Weyerbrock S, Schmieder S, Plewan A, Zrenner B, et al. Incidence of antitachycardia therapy suspension due to magnet reversion in implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2004;27:221–223
  4. Bilitch M, Cosby RS, Cafferky EA. Ventricular fibrillation and competitive pacing. N Engl J Med. 1967;276:598–604
  5. Barold SS, Falkoff MD, Ong LS, Heinle RA. Paradoxical induction of endless loop tachycardia by magnet application over a DDD pacemaker. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1986;9:503–510
  6. van Gelder LM, El Gamal MI. Magnet application, a cause of persistent arrhythmias in physiological pacemakers (Report of 2 cases). Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1982;5:710–714
  7. Furman S, Cooper JA. Atrial fibrillation during A-V sequential pacing. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1982;5:133–135
  8. Bonnet CA, Elson JJ, Fogoros RN. Accidental deactivation of the automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Am Heart J. 1990;120:696–697
  9. Rasmussen MJ, Friedman PA, Hammill SC, Rea RF. Unintentional deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in health care settings. Mayo Clin Proc. 2002;77:855–859
  10. Ferrick KJ, Johnston D, Kim SG, Roth J, Brodman R, Zimmerman J, et al. Inadvertent AICD inactivation while playing bingo. Am Heart J. 1991;121:206–207
  11. Levine PA, Moran MJ. Device eccentricity: postmagnet behavior of DDDR pacemakers with automatic threshold tracking. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2000;23:1570–1572

PII: S1547-5271(06)01962-X

doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2006.09.012

Heart Rhythm
Volume 4, Issue 1 , Pages 1-4 , January 2007

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