Prophylactic Measures Reduce the Risk of Permanent Pacemaker Infection : An Analysis of 480 Cases

Abstract

Infection remains a serious complication after permanent pacemaker implantation. Although better surgical techniques has decreased the pacemaker infection rate dramatically but infection of the pacemaker pocket or the pacing lead still remains a potential complication after pacemaker implantation  In a prospective study carried out at Cardiology Dept. Mayo Hospital Lahore from 1st Jan.1993 to 3l’ Dec.1999, 480 patients were 1m planted with permanent pacemaker. The infection rate was 7% till June 1998. After adopting new techniques which include scrubbing the patient thrice before the start of procedure, better antibiotic prophylaxis both parental and local and decreasing the procedure time dramatically reduced the rate of infection from 7% to 1.7%.