CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN TRANSVENOUS AND MYOCARDIAL PACING

Long-term cardiac stimulation with implantable pacemakers has become a widely accepted method for the treatment of heart block. Cardiac pacing is the most effective means of preventing Adams-Stokes attacks. Senningll was the first, in 1958, to implant an electrical pacemaker. Since that time, many improvements have been made, as much with regard to the reliability of pulse generators as to the techniques of implantation. Endocardia1 pacing, introduced in 1958 as a temporary method,' has gained now wide acceptance for long-term treatment. Since 1962, our group has taken interest in the pacemaker treatment of heart block. To date, 372 patients have been treated at the Cantini Cardiologic Center. Epicardial stimulation, used at the beginning of our studies, has progressively given way to endocardial pacing, which is now almost exclusively used. The new methods of stimulation (atrial-triggered, ventricular-triggered, demand) have been tested under clinical conditions. The present report sums up our results and conclusions based on six years of experience.