Re: Plutonium-238-containing cardiac pacemakers -Reply

[jack bell <bellstar@erols.com>]

I believe that there has been at least one case of the cremation of a
"nuclear powered" pacemaker.  As I recall, the Pu was completely
contained within the pacemaker. This result would have been expected on
the basis of a test cremation performed during the NRC's licensing
process.

The cremation per se may not present the greatest challenge to the
containment of the Pu.  It is common practice to run the remains (bones,
teeth, ashes, pacemaker) through a grinder following the cremation.

Needless to say, it behooves all concerned, including the crematorium,
to keep track of the patients with implanted pacemakers.

                               Jack Bell, bellstar@erols.com

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