Permanent pacemaker therapy before and after the reunification of Germany: 16 years of experience at an East German regional pacing center.

Abstract

The reunification of Germany had a significant influence on the management of patients with bradyarrhythmias. The current study was performed in a regional pacing center located in the former German Democratic Republic. It compares the situation of patients with critical bradyarrhythmias before and after the reunification of Germany in 1990 focusing on (1) indication for pacemaker implantation, (2) pacemaker modalities and function, (3) type of leads, (4) frequency of reintervention, and (5) early and late complications. The study covers 9 years before and 7 years after the reunification. A total of 1,125 patients were included, and the database was formed by the patients' files and the protocols of implantation. The situation before reunification was characterized by a nonavailability of modern physiological pacing devices and insufficient diagnostic equipment. Between 1981 and 1990, 384 patients underwent pacemaker implantation solely receiving single chamber devices with no or only minimal feasibility of programming. Between 1990 and 1996, 741 patients were treated, and they all received modern pacemakers having the capability of multiprogramming and telemetry. Regarding complications of pacemaker therapy, lead related problems significantly decreased after the reunification (dislocation, 5.3% vs 1.7%, P < 0.05; exit block, 6.7% vs 1.4%, P < 0.05) opposite to pacemaker infections, which significantly increasing after dual chamber pacemakers were implanted (2.2% vs 6.0%, P < 0.05). The reunification of Germany dramatically improved the situation of patients with critical bradyarrhythmias leading to free access to high-tech pacing equipment within a few months. However, the abrupt change from antiquated to modern pacemaker therapy created some new problems, especially regarding application and handling of modern physiological pacing devices.