AUTOMATIC IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER-DEFIBR ILLATOR - HISTORY AND FUTURE-DEVELOPMENTS

The clinical experience with automatic internal defibrillation is now extensive, with over 65 000 patients treated since the first implantat ion in 1980. The success of the technique is largely the result of the perseverance and foresight of Dr. Michel Mirowski, although many peop le were eventually involved. The author was privileged to participate almost from the very inception of the project. The early experiments a nd some of the difficulties along the way leading up to the present ex tensive favorable human experience are described.