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Editor: Marc Jay Bern
Profession: Defective Medical Device Lawyer

Category: Medtronic News

An estimated 1.5 million Americans have a pacemaker, powered by a small battery. But, what happens to the pacemaker when the battery runs out?

Typically, pacemaker batteries can last anywhere from five to ten years. Each time the patient's physician checks the pacemaker status, they also get an update on battery life. In some cases, if the battery does get too low, the pacemaker will begin beeping to alert the patient who can then notify their physician.

In cases where the battery does run out, the doctor will usually replace the unit with a new device or pacemaker.

Replaced devices are returned to Medtronic so they can retrieve data from the device. The FDA mandates tracking of every single device. It helps them to ascertain the performance for future research.

When a doctor removes a pacemaker, only the unit or "can" comes out. The leads that connect the pacemaker to the heart are typically not removed.

Old units are never reconditioned or reused. The company keeps them for ten years or more for further analysis.