AIMS: To analyse histological findings surrounding the electrodes in pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (PM/ICD) patients. To compare histology around steroid-eluting and non-steroid ventricular pacing electrodes. METHODS AND RESULTS: In autopsied PM/ICD patients histopathological findings around the electrodes were determined. Seventy patients were studied, PM(58), ICD(12), mean age 75.1 ± 9.3 years. The implantation-death interval was 4.0 ± 3.3 years. Most causes of death were cardiac (PM 52%, ICD 58%). The majority of atrial electrodes were attached to the endocardium and most ventricular electrodes were found in the myocardium (P ≤ 0.001). The maximum thickness of the fibrous electrode sheath was greatest for the ICD ventricular electrodes. Some electrodes were covered with fibrin thrombi and granulation tissue, most frequently in the ICD ventricular electrodes. The fibrous sheath usually contained chronic inflammatory cells and in some cases particles of foreign material, foreign body giant cells, and haematogenous pigment. The tissue around steroid-eluting ventricle PM electrodes was compared with the tissue around the non-steroid-eluting ventricle PM electrodes; granulation tissue, foreign material, giant cells being found more frequently around the steroid-eluting electrodes. The fibrous sheath was slightly thinner in the steroid-eluting electrodes. The histology around four coronary sinus electrodes was described. CONCLUSIONS: Atrial electrodes were attached more superficially to the endocardium while PM and ICD ventricular electrodes were more frequently embedded in the myocardium. The electrodes were covered by a connective tissue sheath as a result of thrombus organization. This process persisted most frequently around ICD ventricular electrodes. Only borderline differences were found between the histological findings around steroid-eluting and non-steroid-eluting PM ventricular electrodes.
- MeSH
- biologické pigmenty analýza MeSH
- defibrilátory implantabilní škodlivé účinky MeSH
- endokard cytologie MeSH
- fibrin analýza MeSH
- hormony kůry nadledvin aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- kardiostimulátor škodlivé účinky MeSH
- koronární sinus patologie MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- myokard cytologie MeSH
- obrovské buňky cytologie MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- trombóza patologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- MeSH
- endokard cytologie metabolismus MeSH
- genetická transkripce MeSH
- konstrikce MeSH
- krevní tlak MeSH
- krysa rodu rattus MeSH
- myokard cytologie metabolismus MeSH
- organizátor jadérka metabolismus MeSH
- svaly hladké cévní cytologie metabolismus MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- krysa rodu rattus MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- srovnávací studie MeSH
