Re: Plutonium-238-containing cardiac pacemakers

[HardyKPhys@aol.com]

Dear Jaro,
Nuclear powered pacemakers hit the market in the early 1970s.  One of the 
manufacturers was Medtronic, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Perhaps they 
can tell you how many they sold.  The Air Force School of Aerospce Medicine 
performed EMI tests on Medtronic Model 9000 pcemakers, when this was 
considered a problem for Air Force installations.  The pacemakers contained 
2.5 Ci of Pu-238.  tests were conducted in water phantoms.  We were 
instructed to return them to the manufacturer when they were no longer of 
use.  The literature at the time stated tht patients who received the 
pacemakers were required to carry a special ID card and that upon their 
demise, the pacemaker was to be retrieved and returned to the physician, who 
in turn was to return it to the manufacturer.   We heard of one story where a 
patient had to be reinterred.   I presume that Medtronic returned the Pu fuel 
capsules to the DOE.   I, too, would be interested in knowing is any of these 
devices re still around.  Please let us know.

Ken Hardy
hardykphys@aol.com
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