A pacemaker uses electrical impulses delivered by electrodes in order to contract the heart muscles.
[1] Failure of a pacemaker is defined by the requirement of repeat surgical pacemaker-related procedures after the initial implantation.
[4] Another study found that more than half of pacemaker complications occurred during the first 3 months after implantation.
[2] Causes of pacemaker failure include lead related failure, unit malfunction, problems at the insertion site, failures related to exposure to high voltage electricity or high intensity microwaves, and a miscellaneous category (one patient had ventricular tachycardia when using his electric razor and another patient had persistent pacing of the diaphragm muscle).
[4] Pacemaker malfunction has the ability to cause serious injury or death, but if detected early enough, patients can continue with their needed therapy once complications are resolved.