Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE
-
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · May 1988
Comparative StudyComparison of unipolar and bipolar active fixation atrial pacing leads.
The purpose of this investigation was to compare the acute pacing and sensing characteristics of a new bipolar active fixation atrial pacing lead with those of a unipolar atrial lead of similar design. Pacing threshold voltage and current, lead impedance, and atrial electrogram amplitude and slew rate were measured at the time of surgery in 28 consecutive patients undergoing DDD pacing system implantation. Eleven patients received a Medtronic 6957J-58 unipolar active fixation atrial lead and 17 patients were given a Medtronic 4016-58 bipolar lead. ⋯ The atrial electrogram exceeded 5 mV in 10 of 17 patients with the bipolar lead but zero of 11 with the unipolar lead. There was no significant difference in the mean slew rate of the leads (1.09 V/s bipolar versus 0.73 V/s unipolar; p = 0.18). Over a follow-up period of up to 10 months, all patients remained in either the DDD or DDI modes with no episodes of atrial sensing or pacing failure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)