Re: Pu-238 Pacemakers

[c0etxlim@mrd42.mrd.usace.army.mil (Luke I. McCormick)]

  About 5 or 6 years ago when I was stilldoing hospitalstuff I got called to 
  the morgue where the mortician had found a pacemaker in a patient.  the
  pacemaker was labelled 4 Ci. Pu and had the rad trefiol plainly on the 
  outside.  We packaged it up and shipped it back to the manufacturer in
  the Netherlands.  Later gossip with an old HP turned up that the devices
  if old enough will fill up with Helium Gas to the tune of more than a few 
  atmospheres of pressure.  Don't know about this last bit but it seems
  possible.
 
> I'm asking this on behalf of a (HP) non-subscriber.  Please respond to me
> directly.
> 
> Are heart pacemakers powered by Pu-238 still manufactured in the U.S.?
> Whether they are or not - are the in use in the U.S.?
> When they were/(are) in use - How much Pu-238 is in a pacer unit?
> 
> Thanks in advance, as usual.
> 
> Albert Lee Vest           The Ohio State University
> Health Physicist    Room 103 1314 Kinnear Road Bldg
> (614)292-1284                     1314 Kinnear Road
> avest@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu   Columbus OH 43212
> My employer did not review or approve this message.
>