?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Refurbishing+Pacemakers%3A+A+Viable+Approach&rft.creator=R%2C+Anilkumar&rft.creator=J%2C+Balachander&rft.subject=Indian+Pacing+and+Electrophysiology+Journal&rft.description=Cardiologists+implant+permanent+pacemakers+widely+for+indications+like+sick+sinus+syndrome+and+complete+heart+block.+The+guidelines+for+such+implantations+are+well+established1.+However%2C+in+developing+countries+like+India%2C+all+patients+who+need+pacemakers+do+not+receive+them+because+of+financial+constraints.+Even+when+such+patients+get+a+pacemaker%2C+it+is+often+a+more+affordable+VVI+pacemaker+rather+than+the+costly+DDD+pacemaker.+The+lack+of+a+health+insurance+scheme+and+improper+social+support+programs+prevent+the+more+widespread+implantation+of+appropriate+pacemakers.%0A++++++++++++However%2C+in+the+developed+countries+and+in+affluent+pockets+of+developing+countries+like+India%2C+the+pacemaker+implantation+rates+are+quite+high.++Often+permanent+pacemakers+are+implanted+in+the+very+old+and+people+with+predicted+brief+longevities%2C+due+to+medico-legal+and+other+social+reasons.+There+are+quite+a+few+instances+when+pacemakers+are+explanted+within+a+year+or+even+within+a+few+months.+This+is+often+due+to+the+unfortunate+death+of+the+patient+due+to+unrelated+causes.+Such+pacemakers+have+battery+lives%2C+which+are+near+normal.+These+can+be+explanted+from+the+dead+patient+after+taking+consent+from+the+relatives+and+%E2%80%9Crefurbished%E2%80%9D+for+use+in+another+needy+patient.+Refurbishing+involves+proper+re-sterilization%2C+checking+of+battery+life%2C+pacing+mode+and+other+parameters+and+re-labelling+with+the+current+parameters+including+predicted+battery+life.+These+refurbished+pacemakers+are+a+suitable+alternative+for+the+financially+%E2%80%98no+option%E2%80%99+group+of+patients+who+otherwise+would+not+afford+a+pacemaker.+These+can+last+nearly+as+long+as+the+original+pacemakers.+Even+pulse+generators+++whose+shelf+lives+have+expired+can+also+be+resterilised+and+used+gainfully+for+the+economically+deprived.+%0A&rft.publisher=Indian+Pacing+and+Electrophysiology+Group&rft.contributor=Singh%2C+Balbir&rft.contributor=Lokhandwala%2C+Yash&rft.contributor=Francis%2C+Johnson&rft.contributor=Gupta%2C+Anup&rft.date=2004-01&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=text%2Fhtml&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4235%2F1%2Fanil.htm&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4235%2F2%2Fanil.pdf&rft.identifier=++R%2C+Anilkumar+and+J%2C+Balachander++(2004)+Refurbishing+Pacemakers%3A+A+Viable+Approach.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F4235%2F