Use of excimer laser makes extracting pacemaker safer Cardiologists at the UPMC Cardiovascular Institute are using an excimer laser to extract old pacemakers and implanted defibrillator wires from the heart, making it an easier and potentially less dangerous procedure.
Cardiac pacemakers are battery-operated devices that help the heart beat in a regular rhythm.
The implanted defibrillator protects patients at risk from severe heartbeat irregularities called arrhythmias. Wires are threaded into the patient's heart during implantation of the pacemaker or defibrillator and are used to carry electrical impulses between the device and the heart. Sometimes the pacemaker or defibrillator must be replaced because of age, and the wires may require replacement at the same time. If the pacemaker has been in place for a long time, the wires may become encased in scar tissue, binding them to the inner lining of the heart and blood vessels and making wire removal very difficult. Traditional methods for removing the wires include pulling on them while pushing against the heart with a surgical brace, or cutting the wires away during open heart surgery.