Interactions between electronic article surveillance systems and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

Background-In patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), inappropriate shocks have been reported with exposure to electronic articl e surveillance systems. The risk to patients with ICDs of walking through o r lingering near surveillance systems requires further investigation, Methods and Results-We evaluated the response in ICD function in 170 subjec ts during a 10- to 15-second midgate walk-through of and during extreme (2 minutes within 6 in of the gate) exposure to 3 common article surveillance systems. Complete testing was done in 169 subjects. During a 10- to 15-seco nd (very slow) walk-through of the 3 surveillance systems, no interactions were observed that would negatively affect ICD function. During extreme exp osure (169 subjects) and during extreme exposure and pacing via the ICD (12 6 subjects), interactions between the ICD and the article surveillance syst ems were observed in 19 subjects. In 7 subjects, this interaction was clini cally relevant and would have likely (3 subjects) and possibly (4 subjects) resulted in ICD shocks. In 12 subjects, the interaction was minor. Conclusions-It is safe for a patient with an ICD to walk through electronic article surveillance systems. Lingering in a surveillance system may resul t in an inappropriate ICD shock.