Abstract
To the Editor.— Rupture of pacemaker batteries is rare. Mercury-zinc batteries, used to power early pacemakers, have largely been replaced because their warranties lasted only three years. We believe ours is the first reported case of spontaneous rupture of an implanted mercury-zinc pacemaker battery. Report of a Case.— A 62-year-old man who had a ventricular-inhibited demand pacemaker placed in August 1978 for complete heart block arrived at the emergency department complaining of sudden swelling and pain over the pacemaker site. At 2 AM the patient was awakened by what he described as an explosion in his chest. Physical examination showed an elderly man in mild distress. His vital signs were normal except for a temperature of 38 °C (101 °F). The pacemaker site was swollen and erythematous, and the overlying skin was warm. Physical examination showed no other remarkable findings. A chest x-ray film showed fragments outside the epoxy casing
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
