Pacemaker Inhibition and Asystole in a Pacemaker Dependent Patient

Abstract

A 17-year-old female with Kearns Sayre syndrome, complete heart block, and an implanted single chamber (VVIR) pacemaker, underwent testing with a GSM cellular phone that was placed directly over the pacemaker site. The pacemaker was immediately inhibited when the phone began to operate. A 6.5-second period of complete heart block with asystole occurred until the phone was switched off.