Clinical experience with nuclear pacemakers.

Approximately 1,400 nuclear pacemakers have been implanted in patients since April, 1970, without a single battery failure; 64 of these have been implanted at the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. All except four of the 64 pulse generators were attached to transvenous electrodes, 39 to pacing wires already in place. Fifty-nine of the 64 units are in service and continue to function normally in a follow-up period of up to 2 years. In the total worldwide experience, 70 pacemakers are out of service, approximately half because of the patient's death, and the rest for infection or lead problems, and only three or four because of difficulties with components. The first 15 ARCO pacemakers implanted 2 years ago continue to function well. Of the 15 control pacemakers implanted at the same time, one unit has failed. We have concluded that a nuclear pacemaker should not be used in a patient with limited life expectancy or in an infant, but for the otherwise healthy young or middle-age individual, it should be the unit of choice.