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Analysis of Charges and Complications of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Versus the Operating Room
Author(s) -
YAMAMURA KENNETH H.,
KLOOSTERMAN E.MARTIN,
ALBA JULIA,
GARCIA FREDDY,
WILLIAMS PATRICIA LOVE,
MITRAN RAUL D.,
INTERIAN ALBERTO
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1999.tb00418.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiac catheterization , permanent pacemaker , artificial cardiac pacemaker , surgery , cardiac pacing , cardiology
During the last two decades, an increasing number of permanent pacemakers have been implanted outside of the operating room (OR) by nonsurgeons. Previous investigators have demonstrated that pacemakers can be safely implanted in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with no increase in complications or infections. This is the first study of its kind to simultaneously evaluate cost, length of hospitalization, and complications between pacemakers implanted in the OR by surgeons with those implanted in the catheterization laboratory by an electrophysiologist. A total of 254 consecutive pacemaker implants were analyzed over a 2‐year period. The OR group consisted of 122 patients with a mean age of 64 ± 21 years versus 132 patients in the catheterization laboratory group with a mean age of 65 ± 17 years. The indication and type of pacemaker implanted were similar among both groups with 78% of OR patients and 73% of catheterization laboratory patients receiving dual chamber devices. The average cost for pacemaker implantation in our study was significantly higher in the OR group $5,464 ±$1,670 versus $2,682 ±$8 for the catheterization laboratory group (P < 0.001). There was a reduction in preimplant days in the catheterization laboratory group 3.16 ± 12.40 days versus 5.65 ± 9.54 days in the OR group (P < 0.05). Complications were minimal and there were no significant differences between the two groups. This study confirms that pacemakers can be safely implanted in the catheterization laboratory by nonsurgeons with no increase in complications and a significant reduction in hospital costs.