External noninvasive temporary cardiac pacing: clinical trials.

Abstract

An external cardiac pacemaker-monitor was developed that provides safe, effective noninvasive ventricular stimulation that is well tolerated in conscious patients and allows clear recognition of ECG response. The noninvasive temporary pacemaker (NTP) was applied in 134 patients in 5 hospitals. Stimulation was tolerated well in 73 of 82 conscious patients; 9 found it intolerable. The NTP was effective in evoking ECG responses in 105 patients; the 29 failures were in the presence of prolonged hypoxia or severe discomfort. The NTP was clinically useful in 82 patients: 43 of 86 were resuscitated from emergency or expected arrest, 38 of 40 were maintained in standby readiness for up to 1 mo. but did not require stimulation; 1 of 8 patients with tachycardia obtained some clinical benefit. The NTP was especially useful in 25 patients with complications or contraindications to endocardial pacing and in 57 patients in whom insertion of an endocardial electrode was avoided.