[Heart pacemaker with lithium batteries. 2 years' clinical experience].

102 lithium-powered cardiac pacemakers manufactured by Cardiac Pacemakers Inc. (CPI 301 UD, 101 UA and 501 UD) were implanted in 94 patients. During the observation time (25 months) the following complications were registered: 2 pulse generator failures, 4 failures of the demand-function, anodic muscle-twitching in 2 patients, 2 erosions of the pacemaker-pocket and 1 hematoma of the pocket. 5 pulse generators were exchanged without malfunction of the pacemaker. In 4 patients reinterventions on the electrode had, to be performed. 4 deaths occurred, none of them related to malfunction of the pacemaker. 2 lithium-powered pacemakers were explanted in other hospitals, for reasons not known to us and 1 patient left the German Federal Republic. 83 patients are under control with well working lithium-powered pacemakers.