Pacing failure due to an unusual fracture of the sutureless myocardial electrode.

A 64-year-old man, had an apicardial demand pacemaker implanted for treatment of Mobitz type II heart block. Two sutureless myocardial electrodes were inserted, but a unipolar system was used based on stimulation threshold and sensitivity measurements. Fourteen months later the patient presented with pacing failure caused by a fracture of the corkscrew electrode with wide separation of the broken ends. The pacemaker, however, continued to inhibit satisfactorily. Pacing was successfully reestablished employing the second available lead. To our knowledge, there has been no publication reporting this type of failure of the sutureless myocardial electrode.