PubMed · 12715839
The monolithic fetal pacemaker: prototype lead design for closed thorax deployment.
Abstract
Prenatal sudden cardiac death and hydrops fetalis are often due to complete heart block. However, no pacing modality exists for intrauterine application for fetal bradycardia. A prototype lead for a novel fetal pacemaker has been developed and used in a direct pacing model. It has been demonstrated that the lead can be safely and successfully deployed using a hypochondriac and transdiaphragmatic or subxiphoid approach. Pacing with ventricular capture was evident with the widening of QRS duration from 50.2 +/- 9.8 to 95.1 +/- 12.8 ms (P = 0.0001). Further studies by echocardiogram revealed an increase in the pulse with pacing, confirming pacing. This study documents proof-of-concept for closed thorax over-the-wire deployment of a novel lead design applicable to fetal pacing. By combining the lead design with microcircuitry and a small power source, it is possible to create a monolithic fetal pacemaker system capable of being deployed in utero.
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Joseph Dell'Orfano, Howard A Chou, Daegyun Park, Humair Mirza, Tomasz Stys, Vicki Mahan, Daniel H Zavitz, Boris M Petrikovsky, Marc Ovadia. 2003. The monolithic fetal pacemaker: prototype lead design for closed thorax deployment.. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1460-9592.2003.t01-1-00143.x
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