Twiddler’s syndrome in patient with single chamber pacemaker.

Twiddler’s syndrome is a well-known complication of pacemaker treatment. This syndrome is characterized by coiling of the pacemaker lead due to the rotation of pacemaker generator on its long axis. Lead damage could cause lead facture or insulation leakage. The syndrome is also responsible for lead dislodgment, diaphragmatic stimulation, twitching upper arm due to plexus brachial nerve stimulation and loss of capture. Understanding risk factors and preventive measurement is very important. In this case report we present an 84 year-old patient who managed to rotate his single chamber pacemaker generator unintentionally following implantation in which the syndrome occurred within 2 months causing insulation leakage and battery depletion. For the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of twiddler’s syndrome in Indonesia.

A novel non invasive measurement of hemodynamic parameters: Comparison of single-chamber ventricular and dual-chamber pacemaker.

We carried out a cross sectional study to analyze hemodynamic parameters of single-chamber ventricular pacemaker compared with dual-chamber pacemaker by using thoracic electrical bioimpedance monitoring method (Physio Flow™) - a novel simple non-invasive measurement. A total of 48 consecutive outpatients comprised of 27 single chamber pacemaker and 21 dual chamber were analyzed. We measured cardiac parameters: heart rate, stroke volume index, cardiac output index, estimated ejection fraction, end diastolic volume, early diastolic function ratio, thoracic fluid index, and systemic parameters: left cardiac work index and systemic vascular resistance index. Baseline characteristic and pacemaker indication were similar in both groups. Cardiac parameters assessment revealed no significant difference between single-chamber pacemaker and dual-chamber pacemaker in heart rate, stroke volume index, cardiac index, estimated ejection fraction, end-diastolic volume, thoracic fluid index. There was significantly higher early diastolic function ratio in single-chamber pacemaker compared to dual-chamber pacemaker: 92% (10.2-187.7%) vs. 100.6% (48.7-403.2%); p=0.006. Systemic parameters assessment revealed significantly higher left cardiac work index in single-chamber group than dual-chamber group 4.9 kg.m/m² (2.8-7.6 kg.m/m²) vs. 4.3 kg.m/m² (2.9-7.2 kg.m/m²); p=0.004. There was no significant difference on systemic vascular resistance in single-chamber compared to dual-chamber pacemaker. Single-chamber ventricular pacemaker provides similar stroke volume, cardiac output and left cardiac work, compared to dual-chamber pacemaker. A non-invasive hemodynamic measurement using thoracic electrical bioimpedance is feasible for permanent pacemaker outpatients.