Perioperative Management of Patients With Pacemakers

It has been more than 50 years after pacemaker device is developed. The subjects receiving permanent pacemaker has been increased and the number of patients with pacemaker undergoing surgery has been increased in company. However, in cases using electrocautery during surgery, there is possibility of malfunction of pacemaker due to electromagnetic interference. The factors associated with pacemaker malfunction during surgery have been reported; type of pacemaker, intrinsic heart rate, pacemaker dependency, type of electrocautery, position of generator, distance between generator/lead and electrocautery, duration and power of electrical energy. Conventionally, mode change to VOO before surgery and use of bipolar electrocautery are recommended before surgery but diverse suggestions regarding perioperative pacemaker mode change has been raised. The investigators aimed to contemplate the necessity of perioperative pacemaker mode change by prospective randomized trial. Patients with permanent pacemaker undergoing surgery are randomized into two groups by 1:1 ratio. No mode change is applied before surgery in the case group and VOO mode is applied before surgery in the control group. Exclusion criteria is thoracic surgery, 100% pacemaker dependency and unipolar pacing. The investigators will compare perioperative adverse events. The primary endpoint is asystole and the secondary endpoint is cardiac arrest, pacing inhibition, torsades de pointes and R on T.