Implantable artificial pacemaker: materials and material-related complications

Yao CHEN; Yanli HAO

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The implantable artificial pacemaker that needs long-term wear is in direct contact with human body tissue, and thus, biocompatibility of the materials is very important.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the material progress and material-related complications of implantable artificial pacemakers.

METHODS:

Articles related to implantable artificial pacemaker materials and related complications were searched in Wanfang database and PubMed database from 2000 to 2015. The keywords were pacemaker; materials; pacemaker leads; pacemaker electrode; complication in Chinese and English, respectively. Finaly, 27 articles were included and summarized. RESULTS AND

CONCLUSION:

The implantable artificial pacemakers are in direct contact with the body tissues through the titanium alloy shell covering the pulser, the electrode wire covering the silicone, polyurethane, epoxy resin, and the electrode materials (including carbon, platinum-iridium alloy, Elgilog alloy). These materials have good physical and chemical properties as well as good cytocompatibility, electrophysiological compatibility and blood compatibility with the human body that have been confirmed in the past decades. However, material-related complications often occur, such as contact dermatitis, wire breakage, dislocation, cardiac perforation, venous thrombosis and tricuspid regurgitation along the wire, capsular infection and hematoma when placing the pulser. With the rapid development of today's microelectronic technology, research on the modification of pacemaker materials and the pacing system has been ongoing and has made considerable progress. Moreover, wireless pacemaker development and clinical application may be the future direction of development.