BACKGROUND: State-of-the art cardiac pacemakers are protected against radiofrequency signals. Although there have been earlier clinical and in vitro reports of cellular phone interference with implantable devices, only a few studies have been performed in recent years. The ringing phase of digital GSM or PCS cellular phones includes a brief period of peak radiated power. OBJECTIVES: This study tested the protection offered by electromagnetic filters of cardiac pacemakers against cellular phone ringing. METHODS: We performed 330 consecutive tests in 158 patients at the time of routine examination in our pacemaker follow-up clinic. The programmed parameters remained unchanged before testing. During electrocardiographic monitoring, 2 single-band digital cellular phones consecutively placed over the pacemaker pocket each received a call. The phone systems tested were 1) GSM at a maximal power output of 2 W, operating on a 900 MHz carrier frequency, and 2) PCS at a maximal output of 1 W, operating on a 1800 MHz carrier frequency. RESULTS: Interference was noted in only 5 tests, due to interaction by the GSM system with 4 unprotected pacemaker models. The GSM test was negative in 12 other tests of identical pulse generator models. The overall incidence of interference was 1.5% of tests. CONCLUSIONS: Interference by cellular phone ringing occurred only with unprotected pacemaker models. Standard programming of these unprotected models was associated with a low incidence of interference.
BACKGROUND: State-of-the art cardiac pacemakers are protected against radiofrequency signals. Although there have been earlier clinical and in vitro reports of cellular phone interference with implantable devices, only a few studies have been performed in recent years. The ringing phase of digital GSM or PCS cellular phones includes a brief period of peak radiated power. OBJECTIVES: This study tested the protection offered by electromagnetic filters of cardiac pacemakers against cellular phone ringing. METHODS: We performed 330 consecutive tests in 158 patients at the time of routine examination in our pacemaker follow-up clinic. The programmed parameters remained unchanged before testing. During electrocardiographic monitoring, 2 single-band digital cellular phones consecutively placed over the pacemaker pocket each received a call. The phone systems tested were 1) GSM at a maximal power output of 2 W, operating on a 900 MHz carrier frequency, and 2) PCS at a maximal output of 1 W, operating on a 1800 MHz carrier frequency. RESULTS: Interference was noted in only 5 tests, due to interaction by the GSM system with 4 unprotected pacemaker models. The GSM test was negative in 12 other tests of identical pulse generator models. The overall incidence of interference was 1.5% of tests. CONCLUSIONS: Interference by cellular phone ringing occurred only with unprotected pacemaker models. Standard programming of these unprotected models was associated with a low incidence of interference.
Authors: Maria Tiikkaja; Tommi Alanko; Harri Lindholm; Maila Hietanen; Juha Hartikainen; Lauri Toivonen Journal: J Interv Card Electrophysiol Date: 2012-01-11 Impact factor: 1.900