04/16/2007

Pacemakers - Where is Their Final Resting Place?

By Kristen R. Anderson, M.S., Safety Specialist, Safex, Inc.

Managing a funeral home is never an easy task. The responsibilities are endless and OSHA and the environmental protection agency (EPA) compound the stress by not imposing enough regulations. Yes, not enough regulation. When a loved one dies and wishes to be cremated, the embalmer must first prepare that body for the crematorium. If the departed owns a pacemaker, it must be removed before the body can be cremated. Otherwise, the device may explode, causing damage to the retort or injury to the employee. What happens to the pacemaker once it is in the embalmer's possessions? What are the procedures for disposal? This is where OSHA and EPA don't provide enough guidance. There are no uniform guidelines for the disposal of a pacemaker after someone dies. Funeral homes generally dispose of them according to their own inclinations.

Safex did some investigating and found the best way to dispose of pacemakers is to send them back to the manufacturer. Once the pacemaker has been extracted (explanted), it should be rinsed in tap water and placed in a sealed plastic bag labeled with a biohazard label. You should then contact the pacemaker manufacturer for instructions on how to return the device. We have included the contact information for a few of these manufacturers. In most cases, the manufacturer will send you an explant kit that contains all the shipping materials and paperwork necessary to return the device. Why do manufacturers want pacemakers returned to them? They are interested in studying the data contained in the memory chip that is located within the pacemaker.

If you have any questions about a health or safety-related subject, please call Barb Garrison, toll-free at 1-866-723-3987 or send an e-mail to bgarrison@safex.us.Biotronik, Inc., 6024 Jean Road, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035
1-800-547-0394

ELA Medical
14401 West 65th Way
Arvada, CO 80004
1-800-352-6466

Medtronic, Inc.
Medtronic Returned Products
7000 Central Avenue MS T172
Fridley, MN 55432
1-800-328-2518 ext. 46223

St. Jude Medical, Inc.
Cardiac Rhythm Management
15900 Valley View Ct.
Sylmar, CA 91342
1-800-681-9293

OSU will also accept pacemakers for use in animal research.
Pacemakers may be sent to:

Ohio State University
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Attn: Laura Spayd, Cardiology Services
601 Vernon-Tharp Street
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Phone: 614-292-3551, opt. 4, opt. 4