Reuse of Explanted Pacemakers: An Option for Economically Underprivileged Patients in Developing Countries

Abstract

Permanent pacemaker implantation is an established mode of life saving therapy for patients with symptomatic bradycardia. As the human population is aging world-over, the need for pacemakers are also increasing. Reviewing the results of the 2001 World Survey on Cardiac Pacing and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (Table 1), it is evident that not all patients who require pacemakers are receiving them, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. The largest implanting country per head of population is Germany, although the largest numbers implanted are in the United States of America. In contrast, the countries of Asia have much smaller numbers with Myanmar having less than one implant per million population per year1.

Keywords

• pacemaker
• reuse