Unusual fracture of cardiac pacing electrode.

This report describes a patient with an epicardial demand pacing system in whom pacing failure two months after implantation was found to be due to a fracture of the helical wire electrode within its supporting structure. We know of no report of this site of failure of a Cordis 323-451 or similar electrode.

New performed catheter for entry into pulmonary artery in complete transposition of great arteries.

A new performed, semi-rigid, polyethylene catheter, with built-in torque control, has been devised for entry to the pulmonary artery in complete transposition of the great arteries. It has been used 19 times in 17 patients: 18 times the pulmonary artery was entered from the right atrium (via the left atrium and ventricle) in a time between 40 s and 15 min (median 5 min); the patients' ages were 2 days to 6 years (median 8 months) and their weights were 3.1 to 13.