Pacemakers

[sassyscuba]

i have a cousin that is getting a pacemaker and we're trying to find more information for pacemakers that are rated for scuba diving. The doctors around here havent heard of any rated over 30 ft. Could you please provide more information about pacemakers including brand names that we could suggest to the doctors so he wont have to give up his favorite hobby...Scuba diving.

Thanks,
SassyScuba

 

[Ann Marie]

i have a cousin that is getting a pacemaker and we're trying to find more information for pacemakers that are rated for scuba diving. The doctors around here havent heard of any rated over 30 ft. Could you please provide more information about pacemakers including brand names that we could suggest to the doctors so he wont have to give up his favorite hobby...Scuba diving.

Thanks,
SassyScuba

My husband has a Guidant pacemaker/defibulator. He doesn't dive but I asked about it anyway, hoping to get him into the sport. If I remember correctly the company said that it had been tested and found to function fine at 80 feet. You might want to call the company and check. The phone number is (800) 227-3422.

Hope this helps! Good luck.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello Readers :

??? :06:

Anyone else have any information on this topic. I have absolutely no experience with this question.

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Wish I could offer a brand name, but we recently had a guest with a pacemaker. The manufacturer stated that diving should be no deeper than 60ft.

Unfortunately the records are completely gone with Hurricane Ivan.

 

[DocVikingo]

The Dr Decompression forum is described as being for "...questions concerning the scientific aspects of decompression. This forum is to provide information of a scientific nature." Dr. Deco is a Ph.D. research scientist, not a physician.

As your inquiry is at least in part of a medical nature, I have taken the liberty of sharing it with the Diving Medicine forum in the hopes it may get a wider response.

While this is far from my speciality area, I believe that some of Guidant's (e.g., Insignia series) and Medtronic's (e.g., Thera 1, Prodigy, Elite II) units are rated for at least 60', while others (e.g., Guidant's Insignia Plus models 1297 & 1298) may be rated well beyond this. You will need to inquire to make certain.

You may contact Guidant at Http://www.guidant.com/contact/ and Medtronic at
http://www.medtronic.com/corporate/commun.html.

Please inform the forum of what you find out.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Ann Marie]

If I remember correctly the company said that it had been tested and found to function fine at 80 feet.

I checked on the website for Guidant and there it stated 45 feet. My husbands pacemaker is new so perhaps the testing depth has changed or maybe I just liked the sound of 80 feet at the time. :06: At least this will give you a starting point.