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Study: Negligible infection risk from reused pacemakers, ICDs

Medical Environment Update, July 18, 2020

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Medical Environment Update.

Ideally, there should be no need to reuse cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIED) like pacemakers and defibrillators—every patient should be able to get a new one. But that is not always the case. The price of these devices can be prohibitive to many, and supply shortages can also limit access.

While it is possible to collect, inspect, decontaminate, and re-implant a CIED into a new host, the practice is banned domestically in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Among the main reasons are concerns about infection.

However, a new study suggests those fears might be unfounded.

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Medical Environment Update.

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