Implantation of a permanent pacemaker in a patient with severe Parkinson's disease and a preexisting bilateral deep brain stimulator

Int Heart J. 2006 Sep;47(5):803-10. doi: 10.1536/ihj.47.803.

Abstract

Cardiac pacemakers and implantable defibrillators are commonly used therapeutic modalities in cardiac arrhythmias. Thalamic deep brain stimulation has also become an important modality in the treatment of drug-refractory tremors and other complications in advanced Parkinson's disease. Concerns exist about the potential electrical interaction and interference between these 2 devices in the same patient. There are only a limited number of reports that have investigated this issue. We describe a patient with advanced Parkinson's disease and a previously implanted deep brain stimulator, who subsequently needed a permanent cardiac pacemaker due to severe bradyarrhythmia. Despite the probability of interference between the devices, there were no problems during implantation of the cardiac pacemaker; both the deep brain stimulator and cardiac pacemaker functioned appropriately afterwards.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial
  • Cardiomegaly / therapy
  • Deep Brain Stimulation / instrumentation*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pacemaker, Artificial*
  • Parkinson Disease / complications*
  • Parkinson Disease / therapy*